Ed Sheeran for “Drive”. Images by Mark Surridge / Warner Music Phils.
Buckle up as Ed Sheeran takes a spin with his new single “Drive” from the upcoming album “F1 The Album,” a star-studded musical accompaniment to “F1 The Movie,” starring Brad Pitt.
The album, released by Atlantic Records through Warner Music Philippines, propels the four-time Grammy winner to the finish line with the theatrical release of the action-packed Apple Original Film about the Formula One motorsport whose races are called the Grand Prix.
In his new single, Sheeran collaborates with fellow Grammy winner John Mayer on guitar, Foo Fighter drummer Dave Grohl, bassist Pino Paladino, and keyboardist Rami Jaffee. The new track is joined by an official music video directed by filmmaker Chris Villa.
The music video has since garnered 1.6 million views since its release on June 20.
“From the label that brought you the award-winning, blockbuster soundtracks Barbie The Album, Twisters: The Album, The Greatest Showman, Suicide Squad and more, “F1 The Album” will feature massive new tracks from an unprecedented lineup of superstar artists, including Ed Sheeran, RAYE, Burna Boy, Madison Beer, Peggy Gou and more,” Warner Music Philippines said in a statement.
“F1 The Album” was produced and overseen by Atlantic Records West Coast President Kevin Weaver, who was named by Rolling Stone as a “soundtrack guru.” He previously produced numerous multi-platinum soundtrack projects that have amassed tens of millions of albums sold worldwide.
Additional key players involved in the project include Soundtrack album executive producers Joseph Kosinski and Jerry Bruckheimer, and music supervisors David Taylor and Jake Voulgarides.
“F1 The Album” graphic by Andrew George
Sheeran is currently in the midst of his record-breaking Mathematics Tour, smashing attendance records at stadiums all around the world. Closing the chapter on his Mathematics series of albums — which began with his debut full length “+” (plus) in 2011 and includes “x” (multiply), “÷” (divide), “=” (equals), and “-” (subtract) — he is stepping boldly into a new phase in 2025 with his much anticipated album Play, set for release on September 12.
His certified singles “Thinking Out Loud,” “Shape of You,” and “Perfect” all achieved sales equivalents exceeding 10 million in the US alone.
An era-defining artist and one of the most influential singer-songwriters, to boot, Sheeran lends his emotive voice to the F1 movie soundtrack meant to showcase Pitt as a washed out racing star called back into action.
‘The greatest that never was’
The film is co-produced by Pitt, seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton, Apple Studios and Bruckheimer, — the filmmaker behind Tom Cruise’s “Top Gun” Maverick”
“F1 The Movie” also stars Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Tobias Menzies, Kim Bodnia, and Javier Bardem, and was shot during actual Grand Prix weekends as the team competes against the titans of the sport.
Dubbed “the greatest that never was,” Pitt plays Sonny Hayes, Formula 1’s most promising phenom of the 1990s until an accident on the track nearly ended his career. Thirty years later, he’s a nomadic racer-for-hire when he’s approached by his former teammate Ruben Cervantes (Bardem), owner of a struggling F1 team that is on the verge of collapse. Ruben convinces Sonny to come back to the race tracks for one last shot at saving the team and being the best in the world. He’ll drive alongside Joshua Pearce (Idris), the team’s hotshot rookie, intent on setting his own pace. But as the engines roar, Sonny’s past catches up with him and he finds that in FORMULA 1, your teammate is your fiercest competition—and the road to redemption is not something you can travel alone.
Kosinski directs from a screenplay by Ehren Kruger, story by Kosinski & Kruger. The film is executive produced by Daniel Lupi. Collaborating with Kosinski behind the scenes are his creative team, including director of photography Claudio Miranda, production designers Mark Tildesley and Ben Munro, editor Stephen Mirrione, costume designer Julian Day, casting director Lucy Bevan, and composer Hans Zimmer.
This Apple Original Films is presented by Monolith Pictures, Jerry Bruckheimer, Plan B Entertainment, Dawn Apollo Films Production, and distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, in theaters and IMAX nationwide on June 27, 2025, and internationally beginning June 25, 2025. /edv