Who was Sonny Hayes, the F1 driver played by Brad Pitt and inspired by Martin Donnelly?

The highly anticipated film production in which Brad Pitt plays Sonny Hayes, a Formula 1 driver who retired from the track after a promising career in the 1990s , shares certain nuances with the story of the renowned Martín Donnelly.

While the film is set to hit theaters in June, some suggest the story will depict a hypothetical version of the Irishman's return to competition.

Theories about the possible inspiration for the protagonist stem from the fact that, in the film, Pitt's character is haunted by memories of a car accident he had 30 years earlier.

Furthermore, in some of the trailers, it can be seen that the incident not only caused emotional and psychological consequences, but also physical ones, as Sonny Hayes is experiencing back pain.

Martin Donnelly began his career as a reserve driver for the Lotus team in 1988 and made his debut a year later at the French Grand Prix with Arrows, replacing Derek Warwick, who had suffered an injury at the time.

In 1990, the Irishman was promoted to a regular position with Lotus, a position that led him to compete in 14 Grands Prix, including the Mexican Grand Prix, where he finished eighth. However, his life took an unexpected turn in Spain.

According to international media reports, Donnelly's race ended after he lost control of his vehicle and crashed into one of the crash barriers at 225 kilometers per hour on the Jerez circuit.

The impact sent the driver's body flying to the center of the track, his seat pressed against his back and his helmet smashed. As the Irishman explained years later, when he entered one of the fastest corners, the neck of the front shock absorber broke due to friction.

Against all odds, the pilot survived the crash, although he had to be resuscitated and stabilized before arriving at a hospital in Seville, where doctors discovered he had fractures to both legs and bruises to his lungs and brain.

As the days passed, his organs stopped working , so he had to be connected to several machines for about six weeks, but five months later he was discharged.

Although the production is not based on a true story and the character played by Brad Pitt doesn't exist, some of the scenes have a significant connection to the accident Martin Donnelly suffered in the 1990s and the reason for his retirement.

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