The race isn’t over yet.
A sequel to F1, the globe-trotting motorsport drama led by Brad Pitt, is officially in development, with super-producer Jerry Bruckheimer confirming that the team is preparing another lap after the film’s major commercial and awards-season success.
Bruckheimer revealed the news in an interview with the BBC during the annual Academy Awards luncheon in Los Angeles, putting an end to months of rumors about whether Apple and Formula 1 would reunite for another chapter.
“We’re working on a sequel,” he said.
The producer did not share any timetable, script details, or casting confirmations. But after a $630 million worldwide haul and multiple Oscar nominations, the appetite for more was always likely to prove irresistible.
A Hit Built on Real Racing DNA
Directed with unprecedented access to the sport, F1 starred Pitt as Sonny Hayes, a once-promising driver who returns to the Formula 1 grid after a long absence to compete for the fictional APXGP team.
The production, co-backed by seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, blurred the line between Hollywood and the paddock. Cameras captured footage during real race weekends across the 2023 and 2024 seasons, placing actors amid the noise, pressure, and spectacle of actual grands prix. Sequences filmed at events such as the British Grand Prix at Silverstone gave the movie an authenticity rarely seen in racing films.
That approach paid off. Beyond the strong box office performance, the biggest theatrical success yet for Apple Original Films, the movie managed to win over many critics and general audiences looking for a big-screen sports experience.
From Summer Blockbuster to Oscar Contender
The sequel confirmation lands while F1 is still firmly in the middle of its awards push. The film is up for four Academy Awards this year, including Best Picture, as well as nominations for Film Editing, Sound, and Visual Effects.
For Bruckheimer, whose previous Oscar attention came with Top Gun: Maverick, the recognition has been gratifying.
“It was a long journey to get the movie made because we had to endure a couple of strikes- but in the end, the movie entertained audiences around the world,” he said, adding that collaborating with Pitt for the first time had been a particular highlight.
“I never worked with Brad Pitt before, and it’s really a thrill to work with Brad.”
Will Brad Pitt Return?
That remains the multi-million-dollar question.
Bruckheimer would not confirm whether Pitt is set to reprise Sonny Hayes, though he made clear he plans to be hands-on when it comes to shaping the cast. Given that Hayes’ storyline in the original film followed a fairly complete emotional arc, the filmmakers may need to find new competitive ground to justify bringing him back.
A continuation could focus on a different phase of Hayes’ career, a new star driver within APXGP, or even another team entirely. At this stage, those possibilities are purely speculative; the project is still in early development.
Surprise Acceleration
The timing of Bruckheimer’s remarks raised eyebrows in the industry.
Just last week, during an Apple TV press day, Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali responded to a question about a follow-up by telling fans to “stay tuned.” He suggested that while enthusiasm was high, partners would want to carefully evaluate how to build something worthy of the first film’s achievement.
Bruckheimer’s confirmation effectively shifts the conversation from if to when.
The veteran producer is no stranger to turning crowd-pleasers into ongoing series, and F1 now joins a formidable development slate. Bruckheimer said he is also pursuing Heat 2, another installment of Days of Thunder, a new Top Gun, and a future chapter of Pirates of the Caribbean, in addition to what he described as a “very interesting” UFO project.
“We’ve got a lot of things in the hopper,” he explained. “We’re just waiting for one of them to get a great script and get it made.”
Crossing the Finish Line and Starting Another
For Apple, Formula 1, and Bruckheimer, the sequel represents more than simply extending a hit. The original film proved that a racing movie could function both as a global spectacle and a prestige contender, a rare combination in modern studio filmmaking.
Now the challenge will be to match or exceed that balance the second time around.
But one thing is no longer in doubt.
F1 will race again.
