Brad Pitt, whose new F1 film is out next week, has now driven a Formula One car for real after testing a McLaren at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas, reported Reuters.

The reigning world champions confirmed the Hollywood A lister drove a 2023 McLaren MCL60 car at the Texas track on Thursday. Media reports said the British-based team had been carrying out a private test with F1 regular Lando Norris and F2 driver Alex Dunne.

It was the first time 61-year-old Pitt, who plays the fictional racing driver Sonny Hayes in the Apple Originals film, had driven a real Formula One car on track. The cars used in the making of the film were Formula Two cars, modified by Mercedes to look like real Grand Prix racers.

Champions McLaren had teased the drive on Thursday with a social media post of overalls with the initials BP and the caption “It’s a Sonny day in Austin”.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, a co-producer of the film, said in March that Pitt had shown real speed while testing the F2 cars. “Watching Brad drive around at speeds over 180 miles an hour was really impressive to see because it’s not something you can just learn overnight,” he said.

“The dedication and the focus that Brad put into this process has been amazing to witness.”

Director Joseph Kosinski, who directed the hit Top Gun: Maverick, explained how Hamilton was the first person he reached out to with the idea of a film.

“I sent him an email and just said ‘I want to tell the story in your world. I want to make it as authentic as possible. Will you help me?'” he said. “And luckily Lewis said yes… He had actually talked to me earlier about playing a role in Top Gun: Maverick. So that’s how I knew Lewis.”