Photo Credit; Getty Images
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.
As the track evolved, the group felt it needed the right drummer. The name that came up immediately was Foo Fighters drummer Dave Grohl. Although another drummer had been recorded for an earlier version, there were lingering questions about tempo and feel. Once Grohl played on the track, those doubts disappeared. Slatkin said the song instantly felt right.
Mayer explained that while the song leaned into an untamed rock sound, it still needed to work as a pop song. This led to subtle choices, such as pulling back on the cymbals to leave space for Sheeran’s vocals. Slatkin emphasized how important it was to showcase Sheeran’s voice, describing his performance as generational. Mayer added that Sheeran has an overdrive in his voice that surprises even seasoned musicians.
Sheeran also spoke about the chorus, which opens with the line “Ha la lay la, we can ride.” He explained that simple vowel sounds are fun for audiences to sing along with, comparing it to classic sing along moments in pop history. For him, if a sound feels good, there is no reason to fight it.
The track also features keyboardist Rami Jaffee and bassist Pino Palladino, a longtime member of the John Mayer Trio. Slatkin summed up the recording by saying there were no tricks involved, just musicians in a room responding to the energy of the film and its characters.
“Drive” later peaked at number 49 on the UK Singles Chart and was named the best song from the film’s 17 track soundtrack by Billboard. The response suggests the trio succeeded in their goal. They created a song designed not just to support the film, but to stay with audiences long after the final scene fades out.
