Chris Hemsworth, Who Played Legendary Ferrari F1 Driver in ‘Rush’, Marks Coincidental Thor Moment at 2017 Monaco GP

The Monaco GP is a highlight of the motor-racing calendar. For many, it’s the only time you can see high-speed racing on such an incredibly narrow and winding track with huge sea-backed grandstands full of people.

So a trip to Monaco is the perfect excuse to be a part of a Grand Prix and enjoy this historic city. And that is exactly how Hollywood and Monaco GP have a special connection. Countless celebrities have attended the event over the years, including the likes of Will Smith, Bella Hadid, Leonardo Di Caprio, Cameron Diaz, and many more.

While all these household names have caught fans’ attention, Chris Hemsworth – the actor known for playing Thor is one who has a history with the sport. How so? The actor famously played the role of legendary F1 driver James Hunt in a movie about Formula 1, Rush.

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Playing James Hunt is no straightforward task, but the Australian actor’s performance was widely appreciated. Ironically, the last time fans spotted the actor on the race track was at the 2017 Monaco Grand Prix; that same year Hemsworth left the world in awe of Thor: Ragnarok.

Now, looking onto the 2022 Monaco GP, Marvel also recently announced the release dates for the next Thor movie: Thor: Love and Thunder. Will we see the superhero in the paddock this time around? Only time will tell. However, the last time the Aussie spent time with Red Bull in Monaco, he gave fans some thrilling insights about his roles.

Chris Hemsworth on his role as James Hunt

For the movie Thor, Chris Hemsworth had an imposing physique on the screen. However, during the filming of Rush, he revealed he had to shred down his weight to fit into the car. The actor had a dramatic body transformation for this movie, which fans loved.

Speaking ahead of the 2017 Monaco GP, he said, “The first thing the director Ron Howard said when my agent called him to say I loved the script was, “He’s 300 pound, isn’t he?” My agent said, “Well he’s not quite that big and he can trim down.”

And I did, I started doing the opposite training to what I had been doing for Thor, I lost a lot of weight and squeezed into the car. But there were obviously still some adjustments we had to make.”

In 2017, the third part of Thor, which was named Thor: Ragnarok, was released. It subsequently became an enormous hit. The Aussie stated he enjoyed shooting the film during his appearance in Monaco five years ago.

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He added, “I’m in the middle of shooting the new Avengers film and then there’s Thor 3, which we shot last year and which comes out in November. This time round Thor was a lot of fun and the movie has a very different tone to the others.”

With that in mind, Hemsworth’s 4th part of the franchise film is all set to hit the theaters in July this year. The film titled Thor: Love and Thunder is, of course, the talk of the town. The fans are eagerly waiting to see the Australian perform again.

Hemsworth opens up on his interest in F1

You might think of him as a superhero with an immense presence on the screen. But there was a time when Chris Hemsworth relished Formula 1 as a fan. The Australian actor reveals his family was big fans of motorsport.

He stated, “Formula 1 and the MotoGP were a big part of my growing up, my dad loved them and they were constantly on TV in the background of my youth.

His portrayal of James Hunt in the film Rush earned his massive plaudits. The movie also won multiple awards.

Speaking about what he took away from the film, he said, ”Before Rush I didn’t quite understand the psychological challenges that F1 drivers face – especially during the 1960s and 1970s when they really were on the edge of life and death.

The likelihood was that at the end of the season, a couple of the guys you were racing with weren’t going to be there. That’s what I took away from that film – it could all end at any moment so you have to make the most of any situation, smile, have fun, enjoy. “

There is no doubt that Chris Hemsworth is a certified F1 fan. The last time he appeared on the paddock was during the 2019 Singapore Grand Prix. And we, as fans, are certainly looking forward to his next appearance.