Ed Sheeran and John Mayer on Making Their Song ‘Drive’ From ‘F1’: ‘As People Leave the Cinema, That’s the Song They Leave On’

The creative journey behind "Drive," the original song crafted for the blockbuster film "F1," has been unveiled by its acclaimed team. In a conversation for Variety's Behind the Song, Grammy winners Ed Sheeran and John Mayer, along with producer Blake Slatkin, detailed how the track came to life. Slatkin's involvement began after Atlantic Records, the label overseeing the soundtrack, invited him to an early screening. The producer was so immediately inspired that he placed a joint call to Sheeran and Mayer, convinced they needed to write for the project. Presented with several scene options, the trio unanimously selected a poignant moment featuring Brad Pitt's character riding into the sunset. Sheeran specifically aimed to craft the kind of memorable melody that stays with an audience long after the credits roll, strategically positioning it as the film's emotional finale.

Each artist brought a distinct skill set to the collaboration. John Mayer, seeking a rock foundation, established the song's core with a defining guitar riff in the session's first ten minutes. He expressed awe at Ed Sheeran's rapid songwriting process, noting the singer's seemingly intuitive leap from a simple idea to a complete melody. Sheeran, whose 2023 album "-" (Subtract) was a critically acclaimed dive into personal grief, later penned the lyrics from an unconventional setting: a friend's bachelor party at a budget holiday camp in England. Slatkin recalled sending a demo ahead of a planned session, only for Sheeran—eight time zones ahead—to return a finished vocal take mere hours later, showcasing his prolific nature.

To capture an authentic, live-band energy, the creators assembled a legendary roster of session players. Their top choice for drummer was Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters, a rock icon renowned for his powerful, groove-oriented style since his days with Nirvana. His contribution was decisive. Slatkin revealed they had been experimenting with tempo with another drummer, but "the moment Dave played it, everything clicked into perfection." The lineup was rounded out by keyboardist Rami Jaffee (also of the Foo Fighters) and bassist Pino Palladino, a revered session veteran who has been a member of the John Mayer Trio since 2005. Mayer and Slatkin meticulously arranged the track to balance this raw, "unhinged" rock feel with pop accessibility, even making the unusual mix decision to quiet the cymbals to keep the song approachable.

A paramount concern was ensuring space for Sheeran's vocal, which Slatkin praised as "a generational vocal performance." Mayer elaborated on the singer's surprising power, highlighting an "overdrive" quality that delivers startling intensity. This directly shaped the anthemic, crowd-ready chorus, which Sheeran kicks off with the vowel-driven hook "Ha-la-lay-la, we can ride." Sheeran cited the timeless, sing-along quality of classics like Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl" as inspiration, aiming for a phrase everyone could latch onto. He humorously added that delivering such a demanding performance might be a rare occurrence to protect his voice, a valuable asset given his history of record-breaking, marathon live shows.

The back-to-basics approach paid off. "Drive," released as the film's fifth single on June 20, 2025, resonated strongly, climbing to number 49 on the UK Singles Chart. It earned significant critical praise, with Billboard naming it the best of the soundtrack's 17 tracks—a notable accolade in a project likely featuring other major artists. Reflecting on the song's success, Slatkin emphasized its organic heart: "There are no tricks here. It's just musicians in a room." He connected the music directly to the film's protagonist, feeling it captured the same authentic, unpolished spirit as Brad Pitt's "scruffy, rough-and-tumble" character. The track ultimately stands as a testament to collaborative alchemy, merging superstar talent with a foundational rock ethos for a cinematic audience.