Disney releases first look at Keanu Reeves’ Formula One documentary

Entertainment giant Disney has previewed its upcoming Formula One documentary series about one of the biggest underdog stories in the sport’s history – set to be hosted by Canadian megastar Keanu Reeves.

Due to be released on streaming service Disney+ at an undisclosed time later this year, Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story was announced in 2022 as a passion project of the actor, who will serve as an executive producer on the project.

The series will take a look back at the 2009 Formula One World Championship, in which British driver Jenson Button and the newly-founded Brawn GP team won the title – despite having never expected to be on the grid in the first place.

We’ll save most of the storytelling to Reeves – best known for The Matrix and John Wick – but Brawn GP was born out of Honda pulling out of the sport shortly before testing for the 2009 season was due to begin, with seven-time championship winning team principal Ross Brawn buying its assets for just £1.

After showing impressive speed in pre-season testing, Brawn GP carried the momentum through to the championship proper, where Button won six of the opening seven grands prix – giving him a healthy margin over the field, eventually securing the title at the penultimate race of the year.

For 2010, both Button and team-mate Rubens Barrichello moved to other teams (McLaren and Williams, respectively) while Brawn GP was rebranded as Mercedes – later winning seven driver’s championships and eight constructors titles since.

While the Disney+ series will reportedly include archive footage from the period, it will also include sit-down interviews between Reeves and those involved with the team.

It’s not the only Formula One-themed show or movie currently in production or available to stream.

As well as the exceedingly popular Drive to Survive series on Netflix – singlehandedly credited as a catalyst for the recent rejuvenation of Formula One – streaming rival Stan has recently uploaded Lucky!, a look at the history of the sport as told by former boss, Bernie Ecclestone.

Mercedes-AMG driver and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton is acting as a producer on an upcoming film which depicts the wild world of Formula One – starring Hollywood icon Brad Pitt.