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Grammy winning artists Ed Sheeran and John Mayer, alongside producer Blake Slatkin, have shared new insight into the creation of their original song “Drive,” written specifically for the film F1. The track was released on June 20, 2025, as the fifth single from the movie’s soundtrack album and has already stood out as one of the most memorable songs connected to the project.
Speaking for Variety’s Behind the Song series, the trio explained that the idea for “Drive” came together quickly after Slatkin viewed the film. Slatkin revealed that he was invited by Atlantic Records, which was working on the soundtrack, to watch an early cut of the movie. The experience immediately sparked inspiration.
According to Slatkin, he walked out of the screening room and called Sheeran and Mayer right away, telling them they needed to make a song for the film. After being shown several scenes that would eventually include music, all three artists gravitated toward the same moment. It was the closing sequence featuring Brad Pitt’s character riding into the sunset. Slatkin recalled that this scene felt like the emotional landing point of the movie. Sheeran agreed, noting that it was the moment where the audience leaves the cinema with the song still ringing in their ears.
From the start, Mayer knew the track needed a strong rock and roll foundation. Within minutes of their first session together, he came up with a riff that became the backbone of the song. Mayer praised Sheeran’s songwriting instincts, saying that his ability to move from nothing to a finished song is almost instant. He described Sheeran as someone who simply starts writing without hesitation and lets intuition guide the process.
While the music came together quickly, the lyrics took shape under unusual circumstances. When Sheeran returned to England, the group had planned a session to write together. Instead, Sheeran ended up at a friend’s bachelor party at a budget holiday camp. Despite the setting, he wrote the lyrics on his own. Slatkin recalled waking up to find that the song was already finished, with Sheeran ready to sing it down the phone.
