**46 Best Auto Racing Movies (F1 the Movie, Days of Thunder)**

(Photo by Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection. DAYS OF THUNDER.)

The latest: F1 the Movie is Certified Fresh! The Brad Pitt-starring action-drama is director Josephn Kosinski‘s first feature since Top Gun: Maverick and is out in theaters this week!

And fittingly, Days of Thunder, Tony Scott and Tom Cruise‘s high-octane reunion after Top Gun, is celebrating its 35th anniversary!

Red flag, green flag, go! Let’s burn rubber as we ranking the best auto and car racing movies of all time by Tomatometer! We start with Certified Fresh classics, putting audiences in the driver’s seat at 24 Hours of Le Mans (Ford v Ferrari), Formula One Grand Prix (Rush), and NASCAR (Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby).

(We focused on sanctioned sport of auto racing, so we’re saving your cannonball runs, death races, and Tokyo drifts for another day.)

Those are followed up with popular favorites, including the Indy 500 highlight Winning (starring real-life speed legend Paul Newman), Tom Cruise’s Days of Thunder, the cult dazzler Speed Racer, and family-oriented films like Cars, Turbo, and the Herbie entries.

And most recently, we’ve added Gran Turismo (we think we’re legally obligated to emphasize that this is BASED ON A TRUE STORY), based on the long-running hardcore sim from Sony.

Senna (2010)

93%

Critics Consensus: Even for filmgoers who aren't racing fans, Senna offers heart-pounding thrills -- and heartbreaking emotion.

Synopsis: Ayrton Senna becomes a three-time Formula One racing champion and Brazil's national hero before his untimely death at age 34.

Starring: Alain Prost, Sir Frank Williams, Ron Dennis, Viviane Senna

Directed By: Asif Kapadia

Ford v Ferrari (2019)

92%

Critics Consensus: Ford v Ferrari delivers all the polished auto action audiences will expect -- and balances it with enough gripping human drama to satisfy non-racing enthusiasts.

Synopsis: American automotive designer Carroll Shelby and fearless British race car driver Ken Miles battle corporate interference, the laws of physics and their own personal demons... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Jon Bernthal, Caitriona Balfe

Directed By: James Mangold

Logan Lucky (2017)

92%

Critics Consensus: High-octane fun that's smartly assembled without putting on airs, Logan Lucky marks a welcome end to Steven Soderbergh's retirement -- and proves he hasn't lost his ability to entertain.

Synopsis: West Virginia family man Jimmy Logan teams up with his one-armed brother Clyde and sister Mellie to steal money from the Charlotte Motor Speedway in... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, Farrah Mackenzie, Riley Keough

Directed By: Steven Soderbergh

F1 The Movie (2025)

82%

Critics Consensus: Driven by Brad Pitt's laidback magnetism and sporting a souped-up engine courtesy of Joseph Kosinski's kinetic direction, F1 The Movie brings vintage cool across the finish line.

Synopsis: Dubbed "the greatest that never was," Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) was FORMULA 1's most promising phenom of the 1990s until an accident on the track... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Javier Bardem, Kerry Condon

Directed By: Joseph Kosinski

Rush (2013)

89%

Critics Consensus: A sleek, slick, well-oiled machine, Rush is a finely crafted sports drama with exhilarating race sequences and strong performances from Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Brühl.

Synopsis: In the mid-1970s, charismatic English playboy James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and Austrian perfectionist Niki Lauda (Daniel Brühl) share an intense rivalry in Formula 1 racing.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Brühl, Olivia Wilde, Alexandra Maria Lara

Directed By: Ron Howard

Cars (2006)

74%

Critics Consensus: Cars offers visual treats that more than compensate for its somewhat thinly written story, adding up to a satisfying diversion for younger viewers.

Synopsis: While traveling to California to race The King and Chick Hicks in the Piston Cup Championship, Lightning McQueen falls out of his trailer and winds... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy

Directed By: John Lasseter, Joe Ranft

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006)

72%

Critics Consensus: Though it occasionally stalls, Talladega Nights' mix of satire, clever gags, and excellent ensemble performances put it squarely in the winner's circle.

Synopsis: NASCAR superstar Ricky Bobby is at the top of his game; adored by fans, a trophy wife by his side, and incredible wealth. But Ricky... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, Sacha Baron Cohen, Gary Cole

Directed By: Adam McKay

Racing Dreams (2009)

100%

Critics Consensus: Racing Dreams offers an absorbing peek at the lives of young NASCAR hopefuls that should resonate with racing enthusiasts as well as viewers with no connection to the sport.

Synopsis: Marshall Curry goes behind the scenes of the World Karting Association, a youth racing league that often serves as a springboard to NASCAR. Curry documents... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Annabeth Barnes

Directed By: Marshall Curry

The 24 Hour War (2016)

- -

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Automobile magnates Henry Ford II and Enzo Ferrari develop a fierce rivalry at the Le Mans during the 1960s.

Starring: Mario Andretti, A.J. Baime, Bob Bondurant, Piero Ferrari

Directed By: Nate Adams, Adam Carolla

#10

The Last Race (2018)

93%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: A small-town stock car track and the drivers that call it home struggle to hold on to an American racing tradition.

Starring: Mike Cappiello, James White Jr.

Directed By: Michael Dweck

#11

Winning: The Racing Life of Paul Newman (2015)

92%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: The 35-year racing career of actor Paul Newman.

Starring: Mario Andretti, Michael Andretti, Patrick Dempsey, John Lasseter

Directed By: Adam Carolla, Nate Adams

#12

Grand Prix (1966)

92%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: The most daring drivers in the world have gathered to compete for the 1966 Formula One championship. After a spectacular wreck in the first of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: James Garner, Eva Marie Saint, Yves Montand, Toshiro Mifune

Directed By: John Frankenheimer

#13

Roger Corman's Death Race 2050 (2017)

86%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Groups of drivers compete in a deadly, government-sponsored cross-country race, where points are earned for killing pedestrians and other drivers. The reigning champion, the half-machine... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Manu Bennett, Malcolm McDowell, Marci Miller, Burt Grinstead

Directed By: G.J. Echternkamp

#14

Death Race 2000 (1975)

80%

Critics Consensus: Death Race 2000 is an unabashedly cheap, deliriously fun B-movie that revels in its first-rate racing sequences, vividly grotesque characters, and comic-strip absurdity.

Synopsis: In the year 2000, America is a totalitarian regime on the brink of collapse. The most popular sport in this dystopia is the Transcontinental Road... View Full Synopsis

Starring: David Carradine, Simone Griffeth, Sylvester Stallone, Mary Woronov

Directed By: Paul Bartel

#15

Snake and Mongoose (2013)

80%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Southern California drag racers Don Prudhomme and Tom McEwen team with corporate giants to change the face of sports.

Starring: Jesse Williams, Richard Blake, Ashley Hinshaw, Kim Shaw

Directed By: Wayne Holloway

#16

The Love Bug (1968)

78%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Race car driver Jim Douglas and his philosophical mechanic, Tennessee Steinmetz, find themselves in possession of a white Volkswagen Beetle that seems to have a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Dean Jones, Michele Lee, David Tomlinson, Buddy Hackett

Directed By: Robert Stevenson

#17

Steve McQueen: The Man & Le Mans (2015)

77%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Production problems affect the filming of the movie "Le Mans" in 1970, a passion project for Hollywood icon and racing enthusiast Steve McQueen.

Starring: Chad McQueen, Neile Adams, Louise Edlind, Siegfried Rauch

Directed By: Gabriel Clarke, John McKenna

#18

Blink of an Eye (2019)

75%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Filmmaker Paul Taublieb examines the special friendship between NASCAR drivers Dale Earnhardt and Michael Waltrip.

Starring: Michael Waltrip, Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Directed By: Paul Taublieb

#19

The Last American Hero (1973)

75%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Junior Jackson (Jeff Bridges) is a Southern boy with a penchant for driving too fast along his native North Carolina back roads. But when his... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jeff Bridges, Valerie Perrine, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Ned Beatty

Directed By: Lamont Johnson

#20

Rally Road Racers (2023)

73%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Zhi, a rookie race car driver, gets the opportunity to compete against the reigning champion of the rally car circuit. With help from a former... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jimmy O. Yang, J.K. Simmons, Chloe Bennet, Lisa Lu

Directed By: Ross Venokur

#21

Ferrari (2023)

73%

Critics Consensus: Sleek and well-acted, Ferrari overcomes its occasionally underpowered narrative to deliver a rousing and admirably complex biopic.

Synopsis: Ferrari is set during the summer of 1957. Behind the spectacle and danger of 1950's Formula 1, ex-racer, Enzo Ferrari, is in crisis. Bankruptcy stalks... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Adam Driver, Penélope Cruz, Shailene Woodley, Sarah Gadon

Directed By: Michael Mann

#22

Le Mans (1971)

71%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Filmed during the annual 24-hour endurance race at Le Mans, France, in 1970, this fast-paced drama follows Michael Delaney (Steve McQueen), a Porsche driver haunted... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Steve McQueen, Siegfried Rauch, Elga Andersen, Ronald Leigh-Hunt

Directed By: Lee H. Katzin

#23

Redline (2009)

70%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: A daredevil driver falls for an alluring woman as he tries to win a race that occurs only once every five years.

Starring: Patrick Seitz, Michelle Ruff, Mark Allen Jr., Cutter Mitchell

Directed By: Takeshi Koike

#24

Cars 3 (2017)

70%

Critics Consensus: Cars 3 has an unexpectedly poignant story to go with its dazzling animation, suggesting Pixar's most middle-of-the-road franchise may have a surprising amount of tread left.

Synopsis: Blindsided by a new generation of blazing-fast cars, the legendary Lightning McQueen finds himself pushed out of the sport that he loves. Hoping to get... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Owen Wilson, Cristela Alonzo, Armie Hammer, Chris Cooper

Directed By: Brian Fee

#25

Turbo (2013)

68%

Critics Consensus: It's nowhere near as inventive as its off-the-wall premise might suggest, but Turbo boasts just enough colorful visual thrills and sharp voice acting to recommend as undemanding family-friendly fare.

Synopsis: Turbo is a speed-obsessed snail with an unusual dream: to become the world's greatest racer. This odd snail gets a chance to leave his slow-paced... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Paul Giamatti, Michael Peña, Samuel L. Jackson

Directed By: David Soren

#26

Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story (2023)

65%

Critics Consensus: Gran Turismo's brisk action and feel-good underdog drama are undermined by its loose telling of the fact-based story, but this is still a generally solid racing movie.

Synopsis: Based on the true story of Jann Mardenborough, the film is the ultimate wish fulfillment tale of a teenage Gran Turismo player whose gaming skills... View Full Synopsis

Starring: David Harbour, Orlando Bloom, Archie Madekwe, Darren Barnet

Directed By: Neill Blomkamp

#27

Winning (1969)

63%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Race car driver Frank Capua (Paul Newman) holds track victories above all else, but as he competes in the string of races that lead to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Robert Wagner, Richard Thomas

Directed By: James Goldstone

#28

NASCAR (2004)

60%

Critics Consensus: A thrill ride for fans, but those looking for a deeper experience will be choking on exhaust.

Synopsis: Filmmaker Simon Wincer follows racers who are traveling, and sometimes crashing, at nearly 200 mph; narrated by Kiefer Sutherland.

Starring: Kiefer Sutherland

Directed By: Simon Wincer

#29

Schumacher (2021)

60%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: The life and career of seven-time Formula 1 world champion race car driver Michael Schumacher.

Starring: David Coulthard, Bernie Ecclestone, Mika Häkkinen, Sebastian Vettel

Directed By: Michael Wech, Vanessa Nöcker, Hans-Bruno Kammertöns

#30

Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo (1977)

60%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: This third movie in the Disney series finds driver Jim Douglas (Dean Jones) once again hitting the road with Herbie, a Volkswagen Beetle with lots... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Dean Jones, Julie Sommars, Don Knotts, Jacques Marin

Directed By: Vincent McEveety

#31

One Fast Move (2024)

56%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: ONE FAST MOVE is an action-adventure thrill ride about a young man down on his luck who seeks out his estranged father to help him... View Full Synopsis

Starring: K.J. Apa, Eric Dane, Maia Reficco, Edward James Olmos

Directed By: Kelly Blatz

#32

The Fast and the Furious (2001)

55%

Critics Consensus: Sleek and shiny on the surface, The Fast and the Furious recalls those cheesy teenage exploitation flicks of the 1950s.

Synopsis: Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) enjoys the adrenaline of street car racing and his fans treat him like a rock star. After a blazing encounter with... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster

Directed By: Rob Cohen

#33

Death Race 3: Inferno (2012)

50%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Only one victory away from winning his freedom, legendary driver Carl Lucas (Luke Goss) enters the first Death Race to take place in the brutal... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Luke Goss, Ving Rhames, Danny Trejo, Dougray Scott

Directed By: Roel Reiné

#34

The Art of Racing in the Rain (2019)

44%

Critics Consensus: Its heartstring-tugging overtures may be difficult for dog lovers to resist, but The Art of Racing in the Rain is sentimental and contrived.

Synopsis: Denny Swift is a Formula One race car driver who understands that the techniques needed on the racetrack can also be used to successfully navigate... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Milo Ventimiglia, Amanda Seyfried, Kathy Baker, Martin Donovan

Directed By: Simon Curtis

#35

Speed Racer (2008)

42%

Critics Consensus: Overloaded with headache-inducing special effects, Speed Racer finds the Wachowskis focused on visual thrills at the expense of a coherent storyline.

Synopsis: Born into a family business of race cars, Speed Racer is one of the track's hot stars. Sitting at the wheel of his Mach 5,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, Susan Sarandon, John Goodman

Directed By: Lilly Wachowski, Lana Wachowski

#36

Death Race (2008)

41%

Critics Consensus: Mindless, violent, and lightning-paced, Death Race is little more than an empty action romp.

Synopsis: Framed for a murder he did not commit, three-time speedway champ Jensen Ames (Jason Statham) finds himself at Terminal Island, the country's toughest prison, but... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jason Statham, Tyrese Gibson, Ian McShane, Joan Allen

Directed By: Paul W.S. Anderson

#37

Herbie: Fully Loaded (2005)

40%

Critics Consensus: Herbie: Fully Loaded is a decent kids movie that is pretty undemanding for adult viewers.

Synopsis: Maggie Peyton (Lindsay Lohan) wants to become a NASCAR driver but her overprotective father, Ray Peyton Sr. (Michael Keaton), won't hear of it. A former... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Lindsay Lohan, Michael Keaton, Matt Dillon, Breckin Meyer

Directed By: Angela Robinson

#38

The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)

38%

Critics Consensus: Eye-popping driving sequences coupled with a limp story and flat performances make this Drift a disappointing follow-up to previous Fast and Furious installments.

Synopsis: Sean Boswell (Lucas Black) always feels like an outsider, but he defines himself through his victories as a street racer. His hobby makes him unpopular... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Lucas Black, Zachery Ty Bryan, Shad "Bow Wow" Moss, Brian Tee

Directed By: Justin Lin

#39

Days of Thunder (1990)

38%

Critics Consensus: Days of Thunder has Tom Cruise and plenty of flash going for it, but they aren't enough to compensate for the stock plot, two-dimensional characters, and poorly written dialogue.

Synopsis: In the fast-paced world of NASCAR, a rivalry brews between rookie hotshot Cole Trickle (Tom Cruise) and veteran racer Rowdy Burns (Michael Rooker). When both... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Cruise, Robert Duvall, Nicole Kidman, Randy Quaid

Directed By: Tony Scott

#40

2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)

37%

Critics Consensus: Beautiful people and beautiful cars in a movie that won't tax the brain cells.

Synopsis: This sequel focuses on ex-police officer Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker), who relocates from Los Angeles to Miami to start over. Becoming involved in the street-racing... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Paul Walker, Tyrese Gibson, Eva Mendes, Cole Hauser

Directed By: John Singleton

#41

Fast & Furious (2009)

28%

Critics Consensus: While Fast and Furious features the requisite action and stunts, the filmmakers have failed to provide a competent story or compelling characters.

Synopsis: When a crime brings them back to the mean streets of Los Angeles, fugitive ex-convict Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and agent Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker)... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster

Directed By: Justin Lin

#42

Race the Sun (1996)

22%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Sandra (Halle Berry), the new science teacher at a poor Hawaiian high school, finds the students surly and unmotivated. So she handpicks eight of them,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Halle Berry, Jim Belushi, Casey Affleck, Eliza Dushku

Directed By: Charles T. Kanganis

#43

Stroker Ace (1983)

18%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Confident NASCAR driver Stroker Ace (Burt Reynolds) runs into problems when a confrontation with his commercial sponsor causes him to lose his contract. Clyde Torkel... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty, Loni Anderson, Jim Nabors

Directed By: Hal Needham

#44

Death Race 2 (2010)

17%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Convicted of killing a cop, an inmate (Luke Goss) competes in a brutal race where cars are deadly weapons.

Starring: Luke Goss, Ving Rhames, Sean Bean, Danny Trejo

Directed By: Roel Reiné

#45

Driven (2001)

13%

Critics Consensus: Underdeveloped characters, silly plot dynamics, and obvious CG effects.

Synopsis: A cutting-edge action drama about an exciting cast of characters living life in the fastest of lanes, in the thrilling and dangerous world of high-tech... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Burt Reynolds, Kip Pardue, Stacy Edwards

Directed By: Renny Harlin

#46