Quick Read
- The ‘F1’ movie received four Oscar nominations: Best Picture, Best Film Editing, Best Sound, and Best Visual Effects.
- The film, starring Brad Pitt and Damson Idris, has grossed over $630 million globally since its June 2025 release.
- Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton served as an executive producer and appeared in the movie.
- Filming took place during actual Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends in the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
- The 98th Academy Awards ceremony will be held on March 15 in Los Angeles, hosted by Conan O’Brien.
The high-octane world of Formula 1 has raced onto Hollywood’s biggest stage, as Joseph Kosinski’s blockbuster film ‘F1’, starring Brad Pitt, has secured four prestigious Oscar nominations for the 98th Academy Awards. This significant recognition, announced on January 22, 2026, follows the movie’s astounding commercial success, which has seen it gross over $630 million globally since its release in June 2025. The nominations, including a coveted nod for Best Picture, mark a pivotal moment for a sports-centric film, underscoring its impact both with audiences and within the film industry.
A Cinematic Triumph on the Global Stage
The ‘F1’ movie is vying for top honors in four categories: Best Picture, Best Film Editing, Best Sound, and Best Visual Effects. Its inclusion in the Best Picture race places it alongside acclaimed titles such as ‘Bugonia’, ‘Frankenstein’, ‘Hamnet’, ‘Marty Supreme’, ‘One Battle After Another’, ‘The Secret Agent’, ‘Sentimental Value’, ‘Sinners’, and ‘Train Dreams’. This broad recognition highlights the film’s technical prowess and compelling narrative, which captivated viewers worldwide.
Directed by Joseph Kosinski, known for his work on ‘Top Gun’, and produced by veteran Jerry Bruckheimer (‘Bad Boys’), the film brings a unique blend of cinematic storytelling and authentic motorsport action. Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton also served as an executive producer and made appearances in the movie, contributing to its authentic portrayal of the sport. The film’s robust performance at the box office, surpassing $630 million, makes it Brad Pitt’s highest-grossing film to date, eclipsing his 2013 hit ‘World War Z’, according to RacingNews365.
Immersive Storytelling and Authentic Production
The ‘F1’ movie tells the story of Sonny Hayes, played by Brad Pitt, a nomadic and once-promising driver who returns to Formula 1 with the struggling fictional APX GP team. He partners with rookie sensation Joshua Pearce, portrayed by Damson Idris. The narrative explores themes of redemption, mentorship, and the intense pressures of elite motorsport, resonating with a broad audience beyond just racing enthusiasts. The chemistry between Pitt and Idris, coupled with the dramatic backdrop of F1 racing, forms the core of the film’s appeal.
A significant factor in the film’s critical and commercial success is its groundbreaking production methodology. The movie was filmed during actual Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends across the 2023 and 2024 seasons, offering an unprecedented level of realism. Fictional APXGP cars were integrated into real race events, even lining up at the back of the grid for formation laps at races like the 2023 British Grand Prix, as reported by RacingNews365. This innovative approach allowed the filmmakers to capture the raw energy and spectacle of Formula 1 from within the paddock and on the track, utilizing the sport’s own infrastructure and many of its real drivers, including Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, and Oscar Piastri.
The production team also utilized three F1 team factories in the UK for shooting scenes, further blurring the lines between fiction and reality. This commitment to authenticity, combined with state-of-the-art visual effects and sound design, created an immersive experience that transported audiences directly into the heart of Formula 1. The nominations for Best Film Editing, Best Sound, and Best Visual Effects are a testament to the technical excellence achieved through these ambitious production choices.
A Legacy Among Sports Films
The ‘F1’ movie’s Best Picture nomination places it in an exclusive club of sports films recognized by the Academy. It joins a distinguished list that includes classics like ‘Moneyball’, ‘Jerry Maguire’, and ‘Rocky’, films that have transcended their genre to achieve broader critical acclaim. While many sports films have been nominated, the last one to win the coveted Best Picture Oscar was ‘Million Dollar Baby’ in 2004, underscoring the rarity and significance of ‘F1’s achievement.
The film’s success has already sparked discussions about a potential sequel. Director Joseph Kosinski confirmed these conversations in November 2025, telling Variety, ‘We’re in that stage of just kind of dreaming up what that next chapter for Sonny Hayes would be and for APXGP. But, you know, based on the reaction from around the world to this movie, it’s something that people wanna see and I’d be happy to go back and do it because we had so much fun making this one.’ This eagerness for a continuation speaks volumes about the film’s lasting appeal and the potential for a new franchise rooted in the world of motorsport.
The 98th Academy Awards ceremony, where the fate of ‘F1’ and its fellow nominees will be decided, is scheduled to air on Sunday, March 15, at 4 PM PT on ABC and Hulu. The event, hosted by Conan O’Brien, will take place in Los Angeles, coinciding with the day of the Chinese Grand Prix, adding another layer of topical relevance for F1 fans. This confluence of Hollywood glamour and global motorsport attention ensures that the ‘F1’ movie will remain a focal point of discussion leading up to the awards.
The multiple Oscar nominations for ‘F1’ represent more than just a critical accolade; they signify a rare crossover success where a film deeply embedded in a niche sport has managed to capture mainstream attention and achieve both commercial triumph and high artistic recognition. Its innovative production, blending cinematic narrative with real-world sporting events, sets a new benchmark for how sports films can be made, demonstrating that authenticity, when combined with compelling storytelling and star power, can resonate profoundly with a global audience and elevate a genre often overlooked by prestigious awards.