Hans Zimmer (F1) F1
Hans Zimmer composed the score for F1 (2025), his third racing film after Days of Thunder (1990) and Rush (2013), and his thirteenth collaboration with producer Jerry Bruckheimer (F1). Working with co-composer Steve Mazzaro, Zimmer created a hybrid orchestral-electronic score that treats the orchestra as "the human that sits inside the machine" and the electronics as the machine itself.
Zimmer went straight for a disco beat — something he had never done before
Zimmer described the score as futuristic music infused with sounds from the 1980s. The opening racing sequence begins with a drum pattern unlike anything in his previous work.
"Right at the beginning, when you see the car and the drums come in, I go straight for a disco beat, and I've never done that before." — Hans Zimmer, The Hollywood Reporter (2025)
"I wanted to do as much electronic music as possible, because I wanted the sounds to echo the sounds of the machines." — Hans Zimmer, The Hollywood Reporter (2025)
"There is orchestra as well, partly because I love the orchestra, partly because we live in a time where we need to support the orchestras." — Hans Zimmer, The Hollywood Reporter (2025)
Conversations with Lewis Hamilton shaped how the orchestra should sound
Hamilton's description of what it feels like to be inside a Formula One car at racing speed directly influenced Zimmer's orchestral approach. The subjective experience of the driver — the danger, the elegance, the isolation inside a machine surrounded by competitors — became the emotional register the orchestra was built to serve.
"Having spent a lot of time talking to Lewis about what it's like to actually be inside the machine, what it's like to be that guy. That really influenced how I wanted the orchestra to sound." — Hans Zimmer, Motorsport.com (2025)
"It's dangerous, yet incredibly elegant." — Hans Zimmer, Motorsport.com (2025)
Zimmer worked with the sound department to divide races between music and effects
The production mapped each race in advance, deciding which sequences would be music-driven and which would rely on engine sounds and ambient noise. The collaboration prevented the score from competing with the mechanical reality of the cars.
"We made a plan early on about which race would be music-heavy and which would be a sound effects-heavy race." — Hans Zimmer, The Wrap (2025)
"The challenge was to keep it exciting but keep it light. I have a tendency to go dark." — Hans Zimmer, The Hollywood Reporter (2025)
"There's nothing dark about these race car drivers. These guys are reckless, they love what they do, and they're funny in their recklessness." — Hans Zimmer, The Hollywood Reporter (2025)
Most film music is still scored for horses — Zimmer found the right tempo for machines
Zimmer identified a specific problem with racing film scores: they are typically too slow, scored at a tempo appropriate for horses rather than machines traveling at 200 mph.
"This sounds really stupid, but I work really hard at finding the right tempos for things. Most film music is just a little bit too slow for a race car. Most scores seem to still be done for horses." — Hans Zimmer, The Hollywood Reporter (2025)
A recurring "gunslinger motif" represents Sonny Hayes throughout the score. The soundtrack album F1 the Album featured tracks by Don Toliver and Doja Cat, Rosé, Ed Sheeran, Chris Stapleton, and Tate McRae. Chris Stapleton's "Bad As I Used To Be" won the Grammy for Best Country Solo Performance. (wikipedia)
"It was a movie about a team, made by a team." — Hans Zimmer, The Hollywood Reporter (2025)