The Brad Pitt-led production has been recognised at the 98th Academy Awards with nominations for Best Picture, Film Editing, Sound and Visual Effects, ahead of the ceremony in Los Angeles on March 15, which coincides with the Chinese Grand Prix weekend.
Released last year, the film grossed more than $920 million AUD worldwide and became the highest-grossing movie of Pitt’s career.
Directed by Joseph Kosinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, Pitt and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, the project was praised for its authenticity after filming extensively during real Formula 1 race weekends.
In the film, Pitt stars as former F1 driver Sonny Hayes, who is lured out of retirement to race alongside rookie Joshua Pearce, played by Damson Idris, at the fictional APXGP team.
The team was integrated into live F1 events, including lining up at the back of the grid during the 2023 British Grand Prix formation lap before peeling away.
Speaking at the film’s launch, Pitt said the project fulfilled a long-held ambition.
“I’ve been trying to get a racing movie done for 20 years,” he said.
“I’ve tried bikes, I’ve tried cars, I’ve tried different disciplines, and for whatever reason they never came to fruition.
“We got a great push behind us, people were more and more interested [in F1], so we could get [a company] like Apple to come in and really support us.”
Pitt also credited the creative direction of the Top Gun: Maverick duo for setting the tone of the film.
“It was Joe and Jerry, just coming off [filming] Maverick, who said, ‘We want to make the most realistic racing movie we’ve seen to date’, and I think that’s what we’ve done.”
The Best Picture nomination marks a rare moment for motorsport on the Oscars stage, with Million Dollar Baby in 2004 the last sports-themed film to claim the top prize.
The recognition caps a remarkable commercial and cultural impact for F1, with Liberty Media previously crediting the film for delivering a one-off revenue boost of close to $800 million AUD that contributed to record prize money payouts to teams during 2025.
The movie’s awards momentum also comes amid early discussions about a sequel, with Kosinski, Apple and Hamilton all acknowledging talks over a potential follow-up.
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