‘F1’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan
December 23, 2025 · F1: The Movie (2025) · Action · Drama · Sport · 1:45:57 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award
Bill SimmonsBrad Pitt crossing paths with Angelina Jolie was like an athlete tearing an ACL and missing two seasons - it sent his career in a different direction and cost him 3-4 more Moneyball-type movies▶ 20:54
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsStates there are no great casting what-ifs because the movie just happened, mentions there was apparently huge competition for the JP role▶ 39:46
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsMultiple scenes including: opening trailer scene with Cliff Booth introduction and Led Zeppelin, Sunny's audition/car flip challenge, beer scene leading to training montage, Sunny exploiting rules with minor crashes, JP's crash in the rain at Monza, poker game, balcony scene with Brad Pitt's monologue, and final sprint/winning▶ 46:34
Chris RyanSupports the opening IMAX scene with 'Whole Lotta Love' and ice bath, agrees on the beer scene's beauty, and expresses desire for a racing-only version of the movie▶ 46:51
Van LathanAgrees with opening scene character introduction, emphasizes the crash scene's effectiveness due to genuine uncertainty about character survival, and notes the film's unpredictability compared to Marvel/IP movies▶ 47:04
Butch's Girlfriend Award
Bill SimmonsMentions having a glaring one but doesn't clearly state it, later discusses Anthony Edwards▶ 1:10:45
Chris RyanAgrees with the manager pick, acknowledges Samson Ko is good but says it needs to be more sinister▶ 1:11:08
Van LathanHis manager - criticizes it as a nothing part that doesn't commit enough to the character▶ 1:11:01
Picking Nits
Bill SimmonsSunny is way too old to be an F1 driver - he would be 51-53 years old, when the oldest modern F1 race winner was 39▶ 1:11:44
Chris RyanHow many old F1 drivers have had major spinal surgery and never really raced F1 before▶ 1:12:26
Is There a Better Title?
Bill SimmonsDislikes both 'F1' (too confusing with actual property) and 'Apex' (the original 2023 title), but doesn't offer a specific alternative▶ 1:12:48
Overacting Award
Bill SimmonsThe English reporter guy who's on cocaine, treating people like shit and asking crazy questions▶ 1:15:44
Dion Waiters Award
Bill SimmonsDon Cavendish — Suggested Don Cavendish (aggressive English reporter) and also mentioned McLaren and Ferrari guys from one scene▶ 1:24:44
Van LathanThe unnamed actor who appears for one scene with three lines then disappears (in reference to Apple money comment)▶ 1:24:18
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsJoseph Kosinski — F1 for Joseph Kosinski - back to back huge movies makes this his apex. Also thinks it's apex for Tom Cruise.▶ 1:27:47
Van LathanJoseph Kosinski — Argued that Kosinski's apex might have been Top Gun: Maverick, but seemed to agree this could be it too▶ 1:27:58
Is This Movie Better With
Bill SimmonsNo - not better with any of the recurring characters (Wayne Jenkins, Danny Trejo, Mad Dog Russo, Doris Burke, Buffalo Bill, Sam Jackson, Wilford Brimley and the Firm)▶ 1:37:26
Who Won the Movie
Bill SimmonsBrad Pitt — Brad Pitt - because he had a rocky last 10 years and needed this comeback after Once Upon a Time▶ 1:41:58
Chris RyanDiscusses how directors could have messed up the film but doesn't give a clear pick between Brad Pitt and Kosinski▶ 1:41:51
Van LathanJoseph Kosinski — Joe Kosinski - because this means more for the director's career than it does for Brad▶ 1:41:46
Movies Referenced (57)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carrie (1976) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 15:56 |
| Days of Thunder (1990) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 5:40 |
| Top Gun (1986) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 10:33 |
| Any Given Sunday (1999) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris Ryan | ▶ 29:39 |
| Moneyball (2011) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Van Lathan | ▶ 17:47 |
| Black Hawk Down (2001) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 37:59 |
| Black Widow (2021) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 8:50 |
| Cars 2 (2011) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 44:03 |
| Creed (2015) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 31:04 |
| Good Will Hunting (1997) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:18:36 |
| Halloween (1978) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:45:21 |
| Miami Vice (2006) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 40:52 |
Directors Referenced (8)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Will Merrick | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Van Lathan, Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:18:36 | |
| Martin Luther King | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:25:51 | |
| Tony Scott | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Unstoppable, True Romance | ▶ 10:23 |
| Ben Affleck | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Van Lathan | Argo, Gone Girl, The Town | ▶ 25:53 |
| Christopher Storer | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 40:15 | |
| Edward Berger | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Van Lathan | Conclave | ▶ 1:42:28 |
| John Frankenheimer | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Seven Days in May | ▶ 1:41:29 |
| Paul Bellany | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | Stardust | ▶ 2:56 |
Actors Referenced (37)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brad Pitt | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 35 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris Ryan | Fight Club, 12 Monkeys, Mr. & Mrs. Smith | ▶ 3:07 |
| Damson Idris | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 22 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | F1: The Movie | ▶ 13:39 |
| Javier Bardem | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 11 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Van Lathan | Skyfall, No Country for Old Men | ▶ 11:27 |
| Tom Cruise | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Top Gun, Minority Report | ▶ 19:30 |
| Steven Seagal | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Van Lathan | Under Siege 2: Dark Territory | ▶ 1:32:55 |
| Jeanette Lee | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Van Lathan | ▶ 8:53 | |
| Matt Damon | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | Good Will Hunting, The Martian, The Departed | ▶ 18:34 |
| Paul Newman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | Road to Perdition, The Verdict | ▶ 19:01 |
| Angelina Jolie | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | Maleficent, Changeling | ▶ 20:54 |
| Heartless Bastards | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan, Van Lathan | Safe Haven | ▶ 22:10 |
| Kei Gambit | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Van Lathan, Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:20:27 | |
| Michael Rooker | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | Guardians of the Galaxy | ▶ 1:34:07 |
Writers Referenced (3)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anthony Bourdain | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | The Big Short | ▶ 52:15 |
| Roger Ebert | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 44:29 | |
| Ted Jessup | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Ted 2 | ▶ 1:40:08 |