Apple’s original film, F1, released June 27th, 2025, and brands such as Mercedes-Benz, EA Sports, Expensify, SharkNinja, Geico, IWC, and Tommy Hilfiger are notably seen alongside A-list actor Brad Pitt for a majority of the two-hour thirty-five-minute movie.
The film concerns Sonny Hayes, a fictional multi-series driver whose 1990s Formula 1 career is cut short by a devastating crash. Three decades later, the struggling APXGP recruits Hayes as a veteran driver and mentor to rookie Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris). Hayes and Pearce are tasked with securing the team’s first victory in the second half of the 2023 season. The film is rooted in hyper-realism, and alongside the fictional Hayes and Pearce, it features the actual 2023 Formula 1 grid and team principals, which enhances the film’s credibility. The Hollywood drama and character-driven storytelling immerse audiences in the high-stakes world of Formula 1 and act as an avenue for organic brand collaboration.
Sponsors are leveraging the film to integrate themselves into the sport at a fraction of the investment required for actual team partnerships. Corporate sponsorships fuel the sport; the cars, racing uniforms, and team equipment are covered by logos, allowing sponsorship integration in the film to feel authentic rather than forced. Traditional sponsorships cost brands millions annually. According to the 2024-2025 Formula 1 report by SponsorUnited, prime real estate on a Formula 1 car or team kit costs approximately:
Driver Helmet: $892K – $1.1M
Driver Race Suit Sleeve: $993K – 1.3M
Driver Race Suit Chest: $1.4M – $1.6M
Engine cover: $1M – $1.4M
Halo Top: $1.6M – $2 M
Rear Wing Flaps: $1.9M – $2.2M
Side Pod: $5.3M – $6.4M
Airbox: $5.7M – $7.5M
Additionally, title sponsorships for teams can range anywhere from $30 to $100 million. Recognizable title sponsorships include but are not limited to HP with Scuderia Ferrari, Stake with Sauber F1, and Oracle with Red Bull Racing. Sports Business Journal mentions, “While it is not yet clear what Expensify ultimately paid, Apple was asking eight figures for the best assets when it first pitched the deals several years ago.” Although the exact figures remain unknown, the reported eight-figure investment is significantly lower than the cost of typical Formula 1 title sponsorships. Yet through the film, Expensify and others gain unparalleled benefits from their association with a fictional motorsports team.
These brands are gaining access to the sport’s 826.5 million global fanbase, which increased by 90 million in 2023. Moreover, in the United States alone, fandom increased by 10.5%. Beyond Formula 1 fans, the brands are gaining traction from millions of moviegoers, fan-made social media edits, movie trailers & posters, and reviews. Adding to this hype, the sport itself, the teams, and the drivers have all had a significant influence on prompting the film’s release. From exclusive movie premieres to coordinated posts across teams (e.g., McLaren, Mercedes, and Ferrari) and individual social media channels (e.g., Lewis Hamilton, Pierre Gasly, and George Russell), the film sidelines team rivalries and has united the paddock on a collective marketing initiative. The marketing strategy behind F1 is deliberate, ingenious, and undeniably allows sponsorship visibility to extend beyond the film’s theatrical release.
By placing sponsors directly into the narrative, F1 gives these brands exposure during some of the film’s most emotionally charged and visually aesthetic moments. Rather than appearing in the background, the brands’ logos become tied to the identity of the film and the story of APXGP. According to producer Jerry Bruckheimer, APXGP has raised “more money for our car [through sponsorships] than some Formula 1 teams.” Forbes estimates that the fictional APXGP team generated at least $40 million in partnerships. Forbes also notes that traditional brand placement in films typically ranges from three to four cumulative seconds of screen time, while these sponsors are featured throughout the majority of the film. This extended exposure, coupled with the film’s global reach and pop culture relevance, makes this an unprecedented marketing campaign for all parties involved.