One year after its cinema release, F1 The Movie has left a lasting mark on Formula 1. Directed by Joseph Kosinski and starring Oscar winner Brad Pitt, the film moved beyond the big screen to establish itself within motorsport’s wider culture, earning $634 million worldwide while renewing enthusiasm for the human, technical and sensory dimensions of the championship.
Whatever individual viewers may think of its storyline, the film succeeded on its own terms. Its influence can be seen not only in its commercial results, but also in its Oscar-winning sound, Hans Zimmer’s recognisable score, its popularity across social media and the way the fictional APXGP team became a familiar part of the Formula 1 landscape. Those strengths helped it overcome some of the narrative limitations identified in our original F1 The Movie review.
Apple, which produced the film, subsequently strengthened its involvement in motorsport by acquiring Formula 1’s television rights in the United States. The agreement represented a clear sign of how strategically important the project had become to the company across both cinema and media, while providing another example of the film’s contribution to Formula 1’s global appeal.
How F1 The Movie entered Formula 1 culture
F1 The Movie integrated itself organically into the championship. Filming during genuine Grand Prix weekends, with real drivers, teams and circuits involved, created a credible bridge between fiction and reality. For many fans, the fictional APXGP team gradually came to feel like a natural extension of the paddock.
The racing scenes captured Formula 1’s elegant violence with a degree of realism rarely achieved on the big screen. From the high-speed overtaking at Silverstone and the tension of Monza to the precisely choreographed pit stops, the film placed viewers remarkably close to the action.
Those sequences did more than showcase speed. They communicated the pressure, danger and precision that define Formula 1, portraying the cockpit as both an intimate and brutal environment. In doing so, the production helped present the championship not simply as a sporting competition, but as an immersive and almost visceral experience.
Hans Zimmer’s F1 theme and the success of Lose My Mind
One of the film’s defining elements was Hans Zimmer’s score. The two-time Academy Award-winning composer created a main theme that did not merely accompany the action but seemed to embody it, blending orchestral music, electronic sounds and percussion to translate Formula 1’s acceleration, tension and modern character into sound.
The main “F1” theme became instantly recognisable, appearing in highlights, social-media reels and even official championship events. Its reach helped give the film a distinct musical identity that continued to resonate long after audiences left cinemas.
Alongside Hans Zimmer’s work, the soundtrack featured a collection of original songs. “Lose My Mind” by Don Toliver and Doja Cat, the first single released from F1 The Album, captured the youthful, adrenaline-fuelled energy of the production and achieved success beyond the traditional motorsport audience.
The song incorporates elements from Hans Zimmer’s score and circulated extensively on social media, helping the film connect with people who did not necessarily follow Formula 1 closely. This ability to reach new audiences later became part of Apple’s broader strategy as it expanded its involvement in the championship and began using the film to introduce viewers to its Formula 1 coverage.
The film’s victory for Best Sound at the 98th Academy Awards in March 2026 crowned that achievement. The award recognised not only the technical quality of the mix between genuine engine noise, dialogue and music, but also the soundscape’s ability to elevate the entire cinematic experience.
Brad Pitt and Javier Bardem become part of meme culture
The film’s impact was amplified on social media by meme culture. Brad Pitt’s intense expressions as Sonny Hayes, the tense exchanges with fellow Oscar winner Javier Bardem and the moments of camaraderie shared with Damson Idris generated thousands of humorous posts.
Memorable lines, sweat-covered faces beneath racing helmets and defiant looks on the starting grid became viral templates across X, Instagram and TikTok. These moments allowed the characters and images to continue circulating even among users who had not necessarily watched the complete film.
One scene became particularly recognisable: Sonny Hayes’ victory in Abu Dhabi. Javier Bardem, playing APXGP owner Ruben Cervantes, erupts into a visceral celebration, shouting and embracing members of his team as fireworks illuminate the sky over Yas Marina.
The moment quickly became a popular reaction GIF, used to express uncontrollable joy, an unexpected triumph or simple exhilaration. The “Bardem fireworks celebration” further embedded the film in internet culture, transforming its narrative climax into a widely understood piece of visual language.
The lasting legacy of F1 The Movie
One year later, F1 The Movie remains a strong example of how cinema can celebrate a sport without betraying its fundamental character. It increased Formula 1’s global visibility, highlighted the human side of its drivers and teams, and delivered sequences capable of earning a place in the history of sporting cinema.
Its Academy Award for sound, Hans Zimmer’s score, its social-media popularity and its solid box-office performance all reinforced its status as a transformative production. Apple’s subsequent move into Formula 1 broadcasting also demonstrated how the film became part of a much larger connection between entertainment, technology and motorsport, explored further in our analysis of Apple TV’s Formula 1 agreement.
The film did not merely tell a Formula 1 story. It made the championship feel more vivid, accessible and exciting within the collective imagination. That achievement extends beyond its box-office figures and continues to influence how Formula 1 is experienced today.
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