Why is Tom Cruise on Channel 4’s British Grand Prix coverage?

As the British Grand Prix kicks off today, a member of Hollywood royalty will step in to help Channel 4 cover the event: Tom Cruise.

The Mission: Impossible star is no stranger to fast cars, having driven more than one in his action-packed blockbusters, but fans were nonetheless surprised to see him get involved in reporting the F1 competition. .

He was announced for the event earlier this week in a comedy video shared on Twitter, in which Steve Jones, Channel 4 F1 lead presenter, asks, “How did you get here?”

“Well, I could tell you that, but then I should kill you,” Cruise replies playfully. “Remember boys, there are no points for second place.”

The ad plays on the surprise of his appearance while stopping to offer a real explanation, but the answer is probably as simple as Cruise being an F1 fan.

In 2011, the actor drove a Red Bull F1 race car around Willow Springs, Calif., Where his instructor was none other than David Coulthard – who just happens to offer his expertise as part of Channel 4’s F1 coverage. .

It’s likely that this connection was helpful in securing Cruise for today’s coverage, the actor currently living in the UK while working on the seventh film Mission: Impossible.

Our biggest race… needs the biggest names…
Come in… Tom Cruise#Britain 🤝 @ TomCruise
Live @ Channel4 ⏰ Sun 1:30 p.m.
Created and produced by @WeAreWhisperTV# F1 # C4F1 #Make it happen pic.twitter.com/zSazVZd7Ks

– Channel 4 F1® (@ C4F1) July 15, 2021

The highly anticipated project was filmed in Yorkshire, but recently had to temporarily halt after a member of the team tested positive for COVID-19.

Cruise has been busy during this time, however, having recently been spotted in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley Stadium, where he sat next to football icon David Beckham, as well as in the Wimbledon final. of this year.

Coverage of Channel 4’s British Grand Prix is ​​just another extracurricular activity for the world-famous star, as filming prepares to resume upon his return as IMF agent Ethan Hunt.

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