The Real Reason Ed Sheeran Said 'Yes' to the F1 Movie Revealed by Singer

Newsweek

6 hours ago

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Pop star Ed Sheeran's song "Drive" is out now and features on the F1 movie's soundtrack as one of the main songs in the film.
The British singer is just one of many prominent stars who feature on F1: The Album, also including Doja Cat, Don Toliver, and Burna Boy.
Sheeran is no stranger to the sport, often playing performances at race weekends and featuring in the paddock from time to time.
He also featured on other movie soundtracks, though the F1 partnership specifically caught his attention.
Ed Sheeran attends the European Premiere of "F1: The Movie" at Cineworld Leicester Square on June 23, 2025 in London, England.
Ed Sheeran attends the European Premiere of "F1: The Movie" at Cineworld Leicester Square on June 23, 2025 in London, England.
Photo by"I'd say every year I get asked to do a song for a film, but I think it was the timing that I was asked for it," Sheeran said at a red carpet event.
"I was in the studio at the time with Blake, who I made the tune with with John. And we just were like, shall we try something? And then it worked. So it was more the time we were asked. All the things lined up, basically."
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John Mayer and Blake Slatkin produced the track along with Sheeran. The song developed randomly during a studio session between the musicians, and it ended up featuring in the movie.
Sheeran said in an Instagram post that the song should be played while driving a car. It is a rock song meant for a more exciting drive rather than a relaxing cruise down the street.
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Sheeran made it clear that he enjoyed the film after watching the premiere on screen, taking honor being a part of a movie which was made in England.
"Yeah, I do like F1. But yeah, it's a really well done movie. And they've done it the right way. It's great that they made it in Britain as well," Sheeran added.
The movie stars Brad Pitt and Damson Idris as two drivers in F1. Pitt's character, Sonny Hayes, left the sport after an accident, but his former teammate, Ruben, needs Hayes to mentor the young prodigy, Joshua Pearce (played by Idris).
The budget for the movie was a reported $200 million and featured seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton as a producer.
The film features real F1 teams, drivers, and cars racing on real tracks, adding a high level of authenticity to the film.
Apple Studios produced the film, which is slated for release on June 27.
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