Damson Idris has become “a lot safer” on the road since starring in F1. The transformation reflects the profound impact that motorsport training can have on everyday driving habits, with professional driving instruction significantly reducing accident rates.
The 33-year-old actor plays a Formula One driver in the new motorsport movie, and Damson has revealed how starring in the film has changed his own approach to driving. The film required extensive preparation, including months of racing school training and physical conditioning typical of professional F1 drivers.
“I’m not going to lie, it actually made me drive a lot safer,” Damson – who appears in the film alongside Brad Pitt – told People. This sentiment echoes findings from driving safety experts who note that understanding vehicle dynamics and racing principles often translates to more cautious road behavior.
The actor has also developed a new level of “respect” for Formula One drivers, observing that they handle a lot of risk during races. F1 drivers experience intense G-forces during races while maintaining split-second decision-making abilities under extreme pressure.
“I have so much respect for Formula One drivers and the speeds that they reach and the amount of pressure that they’re under while they reach those speeds,” he said. Modern F1 cars require exceptional physical and mental conditioning from their drivers.
Damson drove up to 180 miles per hour while shooting scenes for the movie. But he’s now much more cautious behind the wheel of his own car. Professional stunt coordinators and racing instructors supervised all high-speed sequences to ensure safety protocols were maintained throughout filming.
“Now when I’m in the car, I’m definitely just cruising and minding my business,” the London-born actor shared. This behavioral change aligns with research showing that exposure to high-performance driving often leads to more conservative everyday driving habits.
Sir Lewis Hamilton actually served as a co-producer on F1, and the seven-time Formula One champion recently revealed that he “loved” working on the movie. Hamilton’s involvement brought authentic racing expertise to the production, ensuring technical accuracy throughout the film.
“I love how it all came out,” he told Extra. “It’s been like four years we’ve been working on it, so it’s been a long, long road. I’ve never been a part creating a movie from the first treatment to working on the script to working on the characters to watching all the different videotapes of the actors doing their scenes.” The extended production timeline allowed for unprecedented attention to detail in capturing authentic F1 experiences.
Lewis also relished working with the film’s cast and crew. The collaboration between Hollywood professionals and F1 experts created unique learning opportunities for both industries, bridging entertainment and motorsport expertise.
“We really brought on the best cast. The cast has been incredible … The crew in the background who made this movie what it is today, I’m so grateful to them,” he said. The production employed hundreds of crew members across multiple international locations, including actual F1 race circuits.
Lewis, 40, actually got to take Brad on a racing track at one point, as part of his preparations for the movie. And the former world champion relished the experience of spending time with Brad. These training sessions were essential for helping actors understand the physical and mental demands of professional racing.
“I got to take Brad out for the first time a couple years ago on a track and then I said, ‘Show me what you can do.’ And he took me out on a lap and straight away I could see he was already a bit of a racing driver … I wasn’t scared for him,” he shared. Brad’s natural driving ability impressed the F1 champion, demonstrating the actor’s commitment to authentic performance.
By contrast, Damson was far less comfortable on a race track initially. However, Lewis noted that Damson ultimately did “an amazing job” during the action scenes.
“I was a little bit scared, because I don’t think Damson grew up watching … like, black families don’t grow up watching racing … I think he probably was thrown in the deep end, but he did such an amazing job,” Lewis recalled. This observation highlights the importance of diversity and representation in motorsport, an area where F1 has been working to increase participation across different communities.
