From Days of Thunder to a 24-lap Red Bull test: how Tom Cruise fell in love with Formula 1
Tom Cruise has jumped out of planes, clung to the side of an airborne aircraft and ripped around racetracks on the big screen — but away from the cameras, the Hollywood superstar's appetite for speed is no act. Few celebrities have immersed themselves in Formula 1 quite like him.
Motorsport fans know the actor for portraying a racing driver in Days of Thunder, but his real-life F1 story may be even better than the movies. As his latest film Digger arrives in cinemas, here is how the Hollywood hero fell head over heels for the pinnacle of motorsport.
From Paul Newman's team to the silver screen
Cruise's fascination with motor racing stretches back decades. During the late 1980s, thanks to his The Colour of Money co-star Paul Newman, the actor gave professional racing a genuine try, competing in sports cars for the Newman/Sharp Racing team. He quickly gained a reputation for an aggressive driving style — and soon hung up his racing helmet.
That early exit from competition did nothing to dampen his enthusiasm. Cruise kept on enjoying racing through his movies while keeping tabs on championships across both two and four wheels.
The day Cruise drove an F1 car
Cruise is no stranger to big stunts, fast machines and adrenaline rushes — but 15 years ago Red Bull Racing handed him the metaphorical keys to one of their Formula 1 cars. Ahead of the inaugural United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of The Americas, and in a break from post-production on one of his Mission: Impossible movies, the star got the chance to test one of the team's cars, showing his need for speed extended well beyond the big screen.
David Coulthard was on hand to offer advice, with the former Red Bull driver and 13-time Grand Prix winner joined by a 12-person crew from the team who set the car up correctly for Cruise and got him ready to make a little history.
With the session taking place at Willow Springs International Raceway in Southern California, Cruise and Coulthard first completed several passenger laps to familiarise themselves with the 4km circuit, before the movie star got suited up and ready to try it for himself in the 850-horsepower machine.
Despite never having driven anything like it before, Cruise was instantly at home. The Golden Globe-winning actor banked 24 laps before coming into the pits to compare notes and telemetry — ultimately shaving 11 seconds off his lap time between his first run and his last. There were a few off-track moments along the way, but Cruise managed to keep the car running and bring it back to the pits. And when he wasn't on track, he was in the air, joining the Red Bull helicopter stunt team as they performed loops and daring manoeuvres.
Red carpets and premieres: backing F1 The Movie
Cruise's support of the film industry is well known — from taking photos at his local cinema watching the latest blockbuster to collaborating on movies through his production company. In 2025, that passion collided with F1's own big-screen debut.
During the press tour for F1 The Movie, Cruise was pictured with his former Interview with the Vampire co-star Brad Pitt on the red carpet at the European premiere. The film's director, Joseph Kosinski, had previously worked closely with Cruise on flicks like Oblivion and Top Gun: Maverick.
Having shown his support on the red carpet, Cruise later took to Instagram to praise those behind F1's film debut, sharing a photo from the premiere with the caption: "Great night at the movies with my friends!! You guys crushed it!!"
A familiar face in the F1 paddock
Whether you know him as Tom Cruise, Ethan Hunt or simply "Maverick", the Hollywood action hero has made several appearances at Formula 1 events over the seasons. One of his most notable visits came on the weekend of his 60th birthday, when he was photographed under the 2022 British Grand Prix podium alongside Anthony Hamilton and Antonio Perez — fathers of Lewis Hamilton and Sergio Perez.
That same weekend, Cruise was pictured alongside Sir Jackie Stewart, stood next to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff in the garage mid-session, and even stopped for a chat during Martin Brundle's famous grid walk. He also spent time with Lewis Hamilton's brother Nicolas ahead of the race — and was later snapped with Lewis himself after the chequered flag in a show of support.
It was not his first Silverstone visit, either. Cruise had also been spotted at the 2021 British Grand Prix, as well as that year's Goodwood Festival of Speed, where he chatted with 1978 Formula 1 World Champion and American racing legend Mario Andretti.
And Cruise was back at an F1 event when he visited the 2023 Miami Grand Prix — this time accompanied by Shakira. He even helped the Mercedes team with some pit stop practice.
A decade of digging deeper into F1
As Digger lands in cinemas, it is fair to say Cruise has already created plenty of Formula 1 memories of his own. From life in the cockpit to behind-the-scenes access in the paddock, the star has spent more than a decade digging deeper into F1 — and his passion for the sport remains clear to see.