Lewis Hamilton’s acting debut set to be one of the most expensive films EVER with £240MILLION budget

LEWIS HAMILTON'S acting debut has become a £240million Money Pitt.

The Formula 1 legend will feature in Brad Pitt's much-delayed movie - with the budget now equal TWELTH in the all-time list for films.

Hamilton said missing out a role in Top Gun: Maverick "broke my heart".

But he will still go from Silverstone to the silver screen - and with the same director, Joseph Kosinski, as in Tom Cruise's 2022 Top Gun sequel.

Hollywood great Pitt, 58, plays a veteran driver who comes out of retirement to mentor a young prodigy.

Established actors like James Bond villain Javier Bardem, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Tobias Menzies and Sarah Niles are also in the cast.

Britain's seven-time F1 world champion Hamilton has been itching to act.

After two decades squeezing behind the wheel of a sportscar, the 39-year-old hopes to get other bums on seats  - those of movie-lovers in cinemas.

But although production for Pitt's film has continued this year, the release date is uncertain, as is the title, although "Apex" is the hot speculation.

's Matthew Belloni reckons the budget has burst past $300m (£240m) - due to Covid but also the use of real actors in genuine race cars.

BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS

Hamilton himself and Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment are the producers, along with Jerry Bruckheimer - whose CV includes Top Dog and Cruise's 1990 NASCAR action movie Days of Thunder.

Mercedes star Hamilton, who is switching to Ferrari next year, has previously revealed his desperation to appear in any role on TG2.