Lewis Hamilton claims production of his ‘Apex F1’ movie wouldn’t be possible in the Bernie Ecclestone era

Bernie Ecclestone's hold on commercial rights was replaced by Liberty Media in early 2017.

Lewis Hamilton claims production of his ‘Apex F1’ movie wouldn’t be possible in the Bernie Ecclestone era

Bernie Ecclestone and Lewis Hamilton (Credits: The Mirror and SI)

All-time great Lewis Hamilton is a producer for his upcoming F1-inspired film named Apex, featuring Hollywood sensation Brad Pitt. He admitted to feeling “nerves” about whether the film will effectively represent the sport and make it proud. The filming for the project commenced at Silverstone. Liberty Media, since its commercial rights acquisition in 2017, has played a big role in facilitating this opportunity and making it possible.

When speaking to the media, Lewis Hamilton expressed his immense gratitude towards Formula 1 and Liberty Media for their support. He acknowledges that the opportunity to be involved in producing a Formula 1-inspired movie might not have been possible a decade ago under the previous management. He indirectly refers to Bernie Ecclestone, whose era of F1 management has been widely criticized.

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“I’ve been incredibly grateful to them [F1 and Liberty Media], I don’t know if this would’ve been possible 10-plus years ago with the old management in place. We’ve already seen the great work and impact of the Netflix show and I think this will take it to new heights beyond that,” Lewis Hamilton said.

The filming for the Formula 1-inspired movie has begun, featuring a fictional 11th team called ‘APX GP’ occupying one of the garages. Additionally, on Thursday, the track saw the participation of both modified F2 cars. The Briton is trying his level best to ensure the authenticity of the film to represent F1 in the best way possible.

Related: WATCH: Lewis Hamilton and Brad Pitt’s modified F2 cars from the movie Apex tear through the Silverstone circuit

Bernie Ecclestone’s era in F1 management had major shortfalls

Bernie Ecclestone (Credits: News9Live)
Bernie Ecclestone (Credits: News9Live)

The Bernie Ecclestone era in Formula 1 was marked by several notable shortcomings—one major criticism centered around the uneven distribution of revenues. The revenue-sharing model often resulted in smaller teams struggling financially while the top teams enjoyed significant financial benefits. This imbalance raised concerns about the fairness and competitiveness of the sport.

Transparency was another area where Ecclestone’s management style fell short. Decision-making processes were often conducted behind closed doors, and there were allegations of favoritism and a lack of accountability. The lack of transparency created a sense of uncertainty and frustration among teams, fans, and other stakeholders.

Furthermore, Formula 1 under Ecclestone was sometimes viewed as slow to embrace technological advancements compared to other motorsports. The sport was criticized for its relatively conservative approach to innovation and adoption of new technologies, which resulted in a perception of lagging in terms of technological progress.

While the Ecclestone era brought commercial growth and global expansion to Formula 1, Lewis Hamilton has claimed that it might not have been possible to produce such a movie under Ecclestone, as it is unlikely it would have been approved. The modified F2 car is set to lead the formation lap ahead of what will be an action-packed race.

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