Tom Cruise has always had a reputation for being a thrill seeker, and once dipped his toe into the world of Formula 1.
The 63-year-old actor is notorious for performing his own stunts, and arguably, no sport creates more adrenaline than F1.
With drivers regularly reaching speeds of more than 200 mph, Formula 1 pits 22 of the world’s greatest drivers against each other at circuits around the world.
However, on occasion, those cars get into the hands of people who don’t have a superlicense or years of karting and single-seater experience.
Red Bull have always been at the forefront of extreme sports and marketing opportunities, and when an opportunity to work with Tom Cruise came up in 2011, both parties jumped at the opportunity.
In the past year, Red Bull have changed a lot, but Cruise showed the team and 13-time race winner David Coulthard just how far he really is.
How close Tom Cruise came to Red Bull driver David Coulthard in a Formula 1 car
Red Bull posted a video on YouTube almost 15 years ago of Cruise taking part in a private Formula 1 run at the Willow Springs circuit in Southern California.
On his fastest lap, Cruise reached a top speed of 181 mph (291 km/h), which was only four miles per hour slower than Coulthard.
Speaking about the experience, Cruise said: “It’s so smooth! I was just really getting the feel for it then, with the braking a little bit, that was so much fun.”
Coulthard was then asked about Cruise’s performance and explained: “For the amount of laps he actually did, it was remarkable how quickly he got up to speed.
“I’ve got no doubt, and I’m not being kind here, but if he really wanted to put some serious time into driving those types of cars, with a few days of proper running, he could be running some really good times.
“The impressive thing was he went off the track, but it was just remarkable he had the presence of mind to keep the car running, the engine running, and he got back on track and drove it back to the pits.”
How Tom Cruise reunited with Brad Pitt at F1: The Movie premiere
Formula 1 made a huge impact outside of its own sphere in 2025 with the release of F1: The Movie.
Lewis Hamilton was very involved in F1: The Movie, helping Brad Pitt and Damson Idris, who were the stars of the film and the fictional drivers for APXGP.
Cruise was a surprise guest at the premiere of the film in London, and was pictured alongside Pitt for the first time in decades.
Speaking at CinemaCon last year about racing against Pitt, Cruise said: “We’d go and race go-karts all night. He’s very good at driving. Believe me, I’ve raced against him.”
Although a sequel to the F1 movie has been widely discussed, nothing has been confirmed yet.
It would be a real treat for fans if Pitt and Cruise went up against each other, and both have proved they have what it takes to sit behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car.
READ MORE: Christian Horner in ‘advanced negotiations’ over £600m return to F1 after Red Bull departure
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