Damson Idris Says F1: The Movie Made Him an Adrenaline Junkie

Filming F1 has officially made Damson Idris into an adrenaline junkie. The actor spoke to ComicBook ahead of the movie’s release on June 27th, along with several of his co-stars and colleagues. He admitted that driving a Formula One racecar is a bit addictive, and he’s interested in doing more of it even now that the movie is finished. Idris plays Noah Pearce, one of the two drivers for Apex Grand Prix team. He’s the younger foil to Brad Pitt’s character Sonny Hayes, and the two form a rivalry both on and off the track. Idris said that the rush of racing was so “freeing” that he’s now looking for ways he can do it more in his personal life.

When asked if this job had made him into an adrenaline junkie, Idris replied sarcastically, “No, I went and bought a Prius, and I drive 20 miles per hour.” With a laugh, he clarified, “I am, I am [an adrenaline junkie]. Just the whole process was the most exhilarating thing in the world, and it’s so freeing to drive at those speeds. So I’m trying to figure out how to do more of it.”

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We interviewed Idris with his co-stars Kerry Condon and Javier Bardem, and all three emphasized the team effort behind these races, even if there’s just one person behind the wheel. They felt that team dynamic translated well to the filmmaking process, and Idris noted that the pressure to get a stunt right mirrors the pressure to perform well in a race.

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“It’s funny being behind the wheel. So much goes into it before you take off. And of course, we need to get these shots and Joe’s in the editing bay and he’s like, panning cameras, so I guess there’s someone who’s adding to that. But yeah, ‘You better not crash, Damson.’”

As Idris was focusing on the pressure not to crash, Condon said she was anxious about how every mistake would cost the production more and more money. They all agreed with that sentiment, and Idris tried to describe the pressure of the situation. “We’d have five to ten minutes to get these shots sometimes,” he said. “You get in the car, you sign your papers, they set the lighting up. You know, everything’s perfect all the other teams are waiting for you to take off. And then, of course, Damson occasionally stalls. It’s like, ‘Alright, action!’ Vrrt!“

All three actors laughed at Idris’ impression, and he said to them, “Remember when that happened to me in Belgium?”

Fans will be able to see Idris hit top speed soon, and maybe catch the adrenaline bug themselves. F1 the Movie hit theaters in the U.S. on Friday, June 27th.