Wondering who wins the final race in F1, why Brad Pitt’s Sonny Hayes walks away from the APX team, and what it all means for the movie’s ending? Joseph Kosinski’s high-octane racing drama delivers a climactic finish packed with redemption, rivalry, and one last adrenaline-filled lap.
Here’s what we know so far about the final race outcome in F1, why Sonny chooses to leave it all behind, and what the movie’s ending means, with spoilers included.
Who wins the final race in F1 ending?
Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) wins the final Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi.
In the closing laps, both APX drivers, Hayes and Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris), battle Lewis Hamilton. Sonny executes a final maneuver to help Joshua, but incidental contact causes both Pearce and Hamilton to skid out, allowing Sonny to take the lead and finish first.
This victory marks Sonny’s redemption, three decades after the accident that ended his first F1 career. The win secures APX’s comeback after earlier sabotage, which had temporarily sidelined their custom modifications. Despite lingering injuries, Sonny’s performance confirms his lasting skill and passion for racing.
Why does Sonny leave the APX team at the end of F1?
Sonny leaves the APX team after the race because his only motivation is the love of racing.
As he tells Kate (Kerry Condon), he does not care about fame or legacy; he races for the “peace and calm” he feels behind the wheel. After rediscovering that feeling during his win, he chooses to leave at his peak.
Sonny knows he is not the future of F1 or the APX team. Having achieved personal redemption and proved his worth, he sees no reason to stay. In a conversation with Ruben, he admits he’d be content to die on a track doing what he loves. The final scenes show him leaving the paddock to race in Baja California, following his own path rather than remaining with the team he just led to victory.
The movie’s ending aligns with his earlier characterization as a drifting racer who values freedom over status. By moving on, Sonny stays true to his lifelong pursuit of racing purely for joy, not recognition.
