Brad Pitt’s Oscar-Winning Drama F1 Celebrates New Milestone on Apple TV

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Formula 1 remains the most popular show. The sports drama has been a huge hit for Apple TV, consistently demonstrating its blockbuster status.

The sports documentary F1 reached a significant achievement on March 22nd: it had been featured on the U.S. Apple TV charts for 100 days, according to FlixPatrol. This coincides with the date it first began streaming on December 12th. Throughout those 100 days, the show consistently ranked at or near the top of the charts.

The film F1 was the clear leader until February 14th, when another movie briefly took the top spot. However, F1 quickly regained its position on February 27th and has remained number one ever since. It’s also currently the most popular film worldwide.

F1 Was Long in the Making

The new sports drama arrived in theaters in June 2025, though discussions about it began in late 2021. Back in December 2021, several studios competed to produce a film featuring Brad Pitt, producer Jerry Bruckheimer, director Joseph Kosinski, and screenwriter Ehren Kruger. Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton also played a role in the project.

Filming began in April 2023 with Damson Idris joining the cast. Production continued throughout the 2023-2024 Formula One season, utilizing actual race tracks like Silverstone in the UK. Several drivers from that season also appeared in the show as themselves.

F1 Followed tells the story of Sonny Hayes, a former race car driver who comes out of retirement after 30 years to help save the APXGP team – the team owned by his old teammate. Despite being the oldest member of the team, Hayes successfully helps his teammate earn their first points, putting APXGP in a much better position.

The film features Brad Pitt as driver Sonny Hayes, alongside Idris Elba as his teammate, Joshua Pearce. Javier Bardem plays Rubén Cervantes, the owner of the APXGP racing team, with Kerry Condon as Kate McKenna, the team’s technical director, and Tobias Menzies as Peter Banning, a manipulative member of the team’s board.

As a huge racing fan, I was thrilled to see that F1 doesn’t just have actors! The movie also features a bunch of the actual drivers, their team bosses, and even the commentators I love watching on Sky Sports – Martin Brundle, David Croft, and Will Buxton. It really adds to the authenticity!

F1 Was a Tremendous Success

The Brad Pitt sports film became Apple TV+’s biggest hit, earning an impressive $633.4 million worldwide. While the movie didn’t quite make enough to fully cover its estimated $200–300 million production cost, it firmly established Apple TV+ as a major player in the film industry.

F1 was well-received, earning an 82% ‘Certified Fresh’ rating from critics and a remarkable 97% audience score. It was also designated a ‘Verified Hot’ title and won several awards, including an Oscar for Best Sound.

Given the film’s success, Apple TV and Jerry Bruckheimer are moving forward with a sequel. Details about the story and who will star are still scarce.

F1 is streaming on Apple TV.

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2026-03-22 22:44