In a masterful collision of high-octane racing, Hollywood star power, and childhood nostalgia, Mattel is letting you own a piece of Brad Pitt’s latest film role, provided you have a spare $60 and a passion for things in 1:64 scale. Ahead of the summer’s highly anticipated F1 The Movie, Hot Wheels has unveiled a limited-edition die-cast model of the fictional APXGP (Apex Grand Prix) car driven by Pitt’s character, Sonny Hayes. It’s the closest most of us will get to telling our friends we own Brad Pitt’s race car.
The film, which already has the backing of serious motorsport pedigree with production by seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton’s Dawn Apollo Films, tells the story of a comeback kid. Pitt plays Sonny Hayes, a driver hailed in the 90s as “the greatest that never was” until a crash derailed his career. Thirty years later, he’s coaxed out of a nomadic life for one last shot at glory alongside a hotshot rookie teammate, played by Damson Idris. It’s a classic redemption tale, directed by Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick) and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, so expect dazzling visuals and enough engine noise to rattle your fillings.
For the enthusiast who needs more than just a movie ticket, Hot Wheels is delivering a surprisingly detailed slice of the on-screen action. The die-cast car sports the authentic gold and black livery of the APXGP team, complete with Hayes’s number seven on the chassis and the moulded driver’s helmet. In a nod to true F1 aficionados, the package doesn’t just include the car; it comes with three extra sets of Pirelli tires and a tiny tire storage rack, allowing you to simulate your own miniature pit stops. To cap it all off, the vehicle is housed in a collector’s ‘Kar Keepers’ clamshell case, ensuring your piece of “cinematic and racing history” remains pristine.
This launch cleverly taps into a multi-layered market. As Roberto Stanichi, an executive at Mattel, noted, it’s a chance for Hot Wheels to “connect with a new audience of moviegoers” while satisfying its established base of racing fans and dedicated collectors. Following two previous sold-out F1 collaborations, Mattel is betting that the appeal of a tiny, shiny race car driven by a Hollywood icon is a winning formula.
The model will be available for pre-order on MattelCreations.com starting June 24, just before the film roars into international theatres on June 25 and North America on June 27. So, while Sonny Hayes is fighting for redemption on the silver screen, you can have his entire career sitting on your desk, ready for a push-powered victory lap around your coffee mug.
