F1 Races Into Cinemas This June – Buckle Up for the Ride of the Year
June 27, 2025. The starting lights flash. Engines scream. And the world of Formula One comes alive like never before, on the biggest screen possible.
From the director of Top Gun: Maverick and the producers behind Pirates of the Caribbean, F1 The Movie is a high-octane cinematic spectacle that drops you in the cockpit, grips you by the adrenaline, and never lets go.
Brad Pitt leads a stacked ensemble as a seasoned racing legend mentoring a fearless rising star. But F1 isn’t just about the speed—it’s about sacrifice, glory, and legacy. And it’s coming to Ster-Kinekor cinemas this June.
The Film at a Glance
A Story Fueled by Heart, Rivalry, and Speed
At its core, F1 The Movie is about more than checkered flags.
Veteran driver Sonny Hayes is pulled from retirement to mentor young phenom Joshua Pearce on the underdog APXGP team. What begins as mentorship quickly turns into a battle of wills, as both men chase redemption, greatness, and a shot at history.
With rivalries on the track and tensions off it, F1 The Movie blends high-speed thrills with human drama. The relationships are as fierce as the competition. The stakes as high as the RPMs.
Main Cast:
- Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes, a former F1 champion coaxed back onto the grid.
- Damson Idris as Joshua Pearce, the rookie sensation with everything to prove.
- Kerry Condon as Kate, the team's sharp strategist and emotional compass.
- Javier Bardem as Ruben Cervantes, Hayes’ former teammate turned APXGP team owner.
- Tobias Menzies as Banning, the sport’s political power broker.
- Kim Bodnia, Shea Whigham, Sarah Niles, Samson Kayo, and more round out a dynamic ensemble playing engineers, team managers, and family members who live and breathe the pressures of the paddock.
The Cast Behind the Helmet—And the Real Drivers On Track
What sets F1 apart from every racing movie before it? Authenticity.
Not only does F1 The Movie feature an all-star lineup of actors, it also stars the real-world Formula One elite—every team, every driver from the 2023 F1 season, all appearing as themselves. You’ll see:
- Lewis Hamilton, 7-time World Champion (Mercedes)
- Max Verstappen, 4-time World Champion (Red Bull Racing)
- Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris, Fernando Alonso, Sergio Pérez, Daniel Ricciardo, and many more
- Cameos from Oscar Piastri, George Russell, Pierre Gasly, Carlos Sainz Jr., Esteban Ocon, Zhou Guanyu, Yuki Tsunoda, Logan Sargeant, and others
- Team principals, engineers, real circuits, real pit crews—the full F1 universe brought to life
You won’t just watch a racing movie. You’ll witness a hybrid of Hollywood storytelling and genuine F1 access like never before.
Lewis Hamilton: More Than a Name in the Credits
This movie has one secret weapon: Lewis Hamilton.
The legendary F1 driver didn’t just lend his name—he rolled up his sleeves. As co-producer, Hamilton worked directly with the filmmakers to ensure every frame of F1 The Movie reflects the grit, precision, and chaos of the real thing.
His influence is everywhere—from the way drivers move and talk, to the sound design, to the feel of life in the paddock. With Hamilton onboard, F1 The Movie becomes a true love letter to motorsport.
Built for the Big Screen—Experience F1 The Movie at Ster-Kinekor
Shot during actual Grand Prix weekends, with real cars on real tracks, F1 The Movie was engineered to be seen on a massive screen. The in-car footage, shot with cutting-edge cameras, places you inches from the asphalt at over 300km/h.
Filmed for IMAX
Most importantly for us viewers, though, is the fact that F1 The Movie is filmed for IMAX.
What does that mean?
- F1 The Movie was made for IMAX from the ground up. Director Joseph Kosinski collaborated closely with the IMAX team during pre-production—reviewing camera tests at IMAX headquarters and making intentional creative and technical choices to ensure the film would take full advantage of the IMAX Experience.
- Filmed using IMAX-certified digital cameras, the movie captures the raw speed and intensity of Formula 1 racing like never before. Strategically placed cameras—even capturing Brad Pitt racing at 180 mph—bring viewers directly into the action, making the most of IMAX’s immersive scale.
- The film is shown entirely in IMAX’s exclusive 1.90:1 Expanded Aspect Ratio, meaning only IMAX theatres will show more of the image than standard screens. This wider view draws audiences deeper into each thrilling turn and high-speed sequence throughout the movie.
- A custom sound mix was developed specifically for IMAX, using its acoustically engineered sound system and largest speakers in the industry. The result? A visceral audio experience—from roaring engines to screeching tires—delivered with pinpoint accuracy, no matter where you sit in the theatre.
- F1 The Movie was meticulously enhanced using IMAX’s proprietary Digital Media Remastering (DMR) process, ensuring every frame offers unmatched clarity, colour, and detail that mirrors the heart-pounding intensity of real Formula 1 racing.
- More than a film, this is a revolutionary moment in racing cinema, created to be seen exactly as director Joseph Kosinski envisioned it—through the unmatched immersion of IMAX.
Frequently Asked Questions on IMAX
What is the Filmed For IMAX® Program?
The Filmed For IMAX program is a collaborative initiative between IMAX and filmmakers who design their movies specifically for the IMAX Experience. From early development through production and post, IMAX works hand-in-hand with directors to integrate its advanced technology into every stage of the filmmaking process. The result is a film crafted from the ground up to be experienced in IMAX theatres. To learn more, visit: https://www.imax.com/filmed-for-imax
What is IMAX?
IMAX is a leader in cutting-edge entertainment technology, known for delivering the most immersive movie experiences possible. Using a combination of custom software, theatre design, and high-performance projection and sound systems, IMAX creates incredibly lifelike visuals and precise, powerful audio. Every element of an IMAX theatre is engineered to transport audiences into the heart of the story. As the only global theatrical platform built for blockbuster storytelling, IMAX is trusted by the world’s top directors and studios to bring movies to life like never before. For more information, visit https://www.imax.com/the-imax-experience
It’s the roar of the crowd. The chaos in the pit lane. The thunder in your chest. And the only place to feel it all? At your nearest Ster-Kinekor cinema, on IMAX!
