Damson Idris, the British actor, started as a casual Formula 1 fan playing the F1 video game with his brothers.
His interest took off in 2018 when he attended the Hungarian Grand Prix, recalling Lewis Hamilton’s victory. From that moment, he was “hooked” and began watching races more frequently. He would later work closely with Hamilton.
From Fandom to Film Role
Idris continued his acting career while maintaining his passion for F1. Four years later, he learned about the Jerry Bruckheimer and Joseph Kosinski project, which became the movie “F1 The Movie.” Idris became deeply involved, with his passion growing through his role as rookie driver Joshua Pearce.
“Before the project, my focus really was on the drivers. I didn’t really know too much about the intricacies of the sport and just how much detail and how much of a team effort it is for each team,” Idris explained.
“And then after filming the movie is when I really understood that it really takes a village to pull this off, and I just found a deeper respect for the sport, really.
“Before, (I thought) it was (just) Lewis Hamilton, and he builds the car and he fixes it and he pushes it to the starting line. No, it’s a team effort. I really love the sport because of that.”
‘F1: The Movie’ Impact
The F1 movie, which also starred Brad Pitt and was co-produced by Hamilton, achieved blockbuster success and earned multiple awards. On Sunday, the film is up for four Oscar nominations. It represents the latest development in F1’s “fashiontainment” era, as pop culture increasingly overlaps with the sport. The film opened doors for Idris to develop closer ties to F1.
Becoming a Global Ambassador
Idris becoming F1’s newest global ambassador highlights the changes within motorsport over the past six years. His excitement was clear when discussing his journey to this role. His genuine passion and position within entertainment, fashion, and culture made him an ideal choice for F1. Idris’ first project as global ambassador was the “All to Drive For” campaign video, featuring himself and the drivers.
“The alignment is very organic, not only because I did the movie, but just because, as Damson, I’m always going to go to Formula 1 races for the rest of my life, because I love Formula 1,” Idris said. “So if I could partner with them and push the sport in a direction where people from different areas in the world are able to get into the sport and also be inspired, then I think that’s a job well done.
“It’s obviously huge in Europe. They’re still catching over in the States.