F1 - Ending Explained

The film's final act reveals that Peter Banning (Tobias Menzies) orchestrated the sabotage of APXGP's technical components to force a sale of the team. In a major twist, Ruben discovers Sonny's true medical records, proving he has been racing with a life-threatening brain injury for the entire season. Despite being cut from the team for his own safety, Sonny returns for the final race in Abu Dhabi after signing a liability waiver. During the race, a well-timed red flag allows the team to utilize a tyre strategy that puts them in contention. In the final laps, Sonny sacrifices his lead to help Joshua, but an incidental collision between Joshua and Lewis Hamilton leaves Sonny to cross the finish line first. This victory serves as a redemption for his 1990s crash. In the epilogue, Sonny walks away from the fame, returning to his nomadic roots to race off-road in Baja, finally finding the peace he sought.

One common alternative reading is the 'Purgatorial Perspective', which suggests Sonny's journey is a metaphysical one where he must win the race he lost decades ago before he can finally 'pass on' to the desert of Baja. Another interpretation focuses on 'Corporate Criticism', viewing Sonny’s final departure as a deliberate rejection of the hyper-commercialization of modern sports in favor of the 'soul' of racing. A Tragic Reading posits that Sonny's ending isn't a triumph but an admission of his inability to belong anywhere but behind a wheel, destined to race until his body eventually fails him in the desert.