The Formula 1 movie F1 has secured four Academy Award nominations, marking a major moment for motorsport on the global film stage. The nominations include Best Picture, alongside recognition for Best Film Editing, Best Sound, and Best Visual Effects.
The film stars Brad Pitt and Damson Idris, and was filmed across multiple real Formula 1 race weekends. Both actors drove modified Formula 2 machinery during production, helping ground the movie in realism and authenticity.
At the centre of the story is Pitt’s character Sonny Hayes, a former driver drawn back into Formula 1 decades after failing to reach his potential. He returns to partner rising rookie Joshua Pearce, played by Idris, at the fictional APXGP team. The storyline blends personal redemption with the pressure and intensity of modern Formula 1.
Real Formula 1 involvement played a major role behind the scenes. Lewis Hamilton was part of the production team and worked closely on ensuring the film reflected how the sport truly operates. His input focused on accuracy, with changes made whenever scenes drifted too far from real world Formula 1 procedures.
Commentary voices familiar to fans also feature in the movie. Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft credited Hamilton for helping bring both him and Martin Brundle into the project, adding authentic broadcast sound to the on screen racing.
The Academy Award nominations represent the highest level of recognition within the film industry. A Best Picture nomination places F1 among the most acclaimed films of the year. The movie faces strong competition in the category, with rivals including Bugonia, Frankenstein, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, The Secret Agent, Sentimental Value, Sinners, and Train Dreams.
Directed by Joseph Kosinski, the film has already achieved commercial success. It is now recognised as the highest grossing sports movie of all time, earning $630 million worldwide against a production budget reported to be as high as $300 million. That financial performance alone placed the film in rare territory.
Awards recognition had already followed before the Oscar nominations. The movie won two Critics’ Choice Awards, earned two Golden Globe nominations, and picked up three Grammy nominations for its soundtrack. The Oscar shortlist further validates the work of the technical departments, with nominations for editing, sound, and visual effects highlighting the scale of the production.
The 98th Academy Awards will take place on 15 March at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The ceremony will be hosted by Conan O’Brien. For Formula 1, the nominations underline how far the sport’s reach now extends beyond the racetrack and into mainstream global culture.
