Footage appearing to show Brad Pitt "collapsing" at the Las Vegas Grand Prix has been debunked.
The showpiece in Sin City saw Mercedes secure the one-two, with George Russell winning the race ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz Jr of Ferrari, who took the final spot on the podium.
Max Verstappen finished fifth but won his fourth consecutive F1 world title with two races to spare after closest rival Lando Norris's sixth-placed finish means he cannot overtake him.
But afterwards Hollywood sensation Pitt was on the track and fans were on edge after video appeared to show him wobbling on his feet and falling onto a crash mat.
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However, Pitt was actually filming for an upcoming Formula One-based film which is due to come out in 2025. He plays Sonny Hayes, a driver who returns to the track for the fictional Apex Grand Prix team 30 years on from a horrible crash to team with younger driver Joshua Pearce, played by Damson Idris.
He filmed scenes in October at the Mexico Grand Prix in October and was wearing his racing attire. But on this occasion, the 60-year-old movie legend, wearing a black racing jacket and a bright orange hat, was actually behind the camera.
Pitt is a producer for the film and was giving direction to his stunt double.
To add to the legitimacy, APX GP addressed the crash with a mock statement.
It read: "During Qualifying, Sonny sustained a significant impact requiring immediate medical evaluation. Incidents of this magnitude are always taken seriously, and Sonny's health remains our top priority.
"While Sonny is otherwise stable, he will not participate in tomorrow's race as he focuses on recovery. The entire team stands behind him, and we will provide updates when available. Joshua will race solo tomorrow, carrying the team forward."
The film is directed by Joseph Kosinski of Top Gun: Maverick fame and Apple bought the rights for around £112 million. Pitt has raced around Silverstone as part of the project and even offered F1 legend Martin Brundle a cameo.
As a technical advisor and producer, Hamilton has an important role in the film as he has been providing feedback to filmmakers and ensuring changes are made to reflect the realism required.
Discussing his involvement in an interview with Esquire, Hamilton said: “Ehren [Kruger, screenwriter] basically did a ton of research, watched a lot of races, came to a bunch of races, and then went away and wrote up a script.
"But we would sit and talk about what racing is about. Then once he wrote the script, I would sit with him and call bull****, basically, on the things that don’t seem real and are not what F1 is about and try to make sure that it’s as authentic as possible.
“Then at the same time, I started a production company, so I’m a producer with these guys. I’ve been able to be involved in all areas. It is making sure the cast is diverse, making sure we’ve got a woman in a pit stop, which we never, ever had at the actual track."
Topics: Formula 1, Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton
Josh Lawless