Ed Sheeran has recently spoken out on the personal significance of the song “Drive” for F1: The Movie, the music that closes the film. The track plays during the final scene and the end credits, which gives it a central place in the film’s sound design. The project brought Sheeran into the world of Formula 1 through a collaboration focused on matching the tone of the film’s final moments, and as a big racing fan, Sheeran has described the experience as “pretty cool”.
Here’s how the song came to be, and what it represents on a broader scale.
The Track Production “Drive” was developed for F1: The Movie after Sheeran, producer Blake Slatkin and guitarist John Mayer viewed early footage from the movie. According to Slatkin, seeing the final sequence shaped the creative direction of the song, which needed to match the visual rhythm and emotional tone of the ending. Mayer introduced the main distorted guitar riff during the writing session and this became the starting point for the full track.
The recording brought together a small group of well-known musicians. Dave Grohl contributed the drum parts, Pino Palladino played bass and Rami Jaffee added keyboards. They recorded in a live studio setting, which gave the track a more immediate and energetic sound. This approach aligned with the film’s focus on racing and competition.
Reach Beyond the Film
Although “Drive” is only one cog in the machine that is the F1 soundtrack, it has expanded beyond the scope of the film, having been adopted as a podium song in some Formula 1 environments, lending the track additional visibility. Its appearance in both entertainment and real motorsport settings helps link the fictional film world with the sport it depicts.
The timing of the release also aligns with Formula 1’s growing popularity in broader entertainment culture. Over the past several years the sport has gained more mainstream attention through media partnerships, new sponsorship activity and collaborations with high-profile musicians. New sponsorship activity includes luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Pepsi and iGaming sponsorships, with some major global brands having their names both trackside and on cars.
Yet these sponsorships and extensions of F1 are likely to go even further. In the case of iGaming, branded or themed F1 racing games and slots could be an imminent development, with titles like the boxing-themed Frank Bruno Sporting Legends already showcasing the possibilities for athletic branded releases. This could be mutually beneficial as it would allow Formula 1 to reach players of other popular slots such as Fluffy Favourites and Fishin’ Frenzy, who might not otherwise have had any crossover.
Projects like these help present F1 as part of a wider entertainment landscape rather than a niche sporting category. A song by a global pop figure like Ed Sheeran reinforces that shift and introduces the sport to new audiences.
Within the film, “Drive” functions as a concluding musical element that supports the narrative resolution. The distorted guitar and steady percussion mirror the sense of acceleration and tension seen in the final scene. The lyrics draw on themes connected to movement and personal focus, something which Ed Sheeran has expanded upon in his own reflection on the song’s meaning. It ultimately supports the mood of the story without overwhelming it.
As a whole, “Drive” is an example of how contemporary musicians are working more directly with major film productions. It also shows how Formula 1 is positioning itself within popular culture through strategic partnerships and media outreach. The collaboration between Sheeran and the film’s creative team is not presented as a major artistic departure but as a targeted effort to match music with a specific cinematic moment.
