From the Strip Circuit to the Big Screen: How F1®: The Movie was filmed at the Las Vegas Grand Prix
Filmed during the FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX 2023 & 2024, F1: The Movie features jaw-dropping footage of the Las Vegas Strip Circuit® as it is transformed into a cinematic racetrack. Now, you can step right into scenes from the movie with the return of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Nov. 20-22, 2025.
The wait is almost over! After star-studded premieres in New York and London, this summer’s most anticipated Hollywood blockbuster, F1: The Movie, races into theaters on June 27. Get ready for an adrenaline rush like no other.
Directed by Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick), produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and Apple Original Films, and starring Brad Pitt, this eagerly awaited movie has already captivated critics and is poised for box office success. But what many moviegoers might not realize is the role the Las Vegas Grand Prix played in bringing the high-octane world of Formula 1 to life in parts of the film.
With its dazzling neon lights, iconic landmarks and jaw-dropping speeds topping 220 mph, the Las Vegas Strip Circuit served as a thrilling backdrop for the film. With the support of Formula 1 and local race promoters, the production team behind F1: The Movie embedded a fictional 11th team — APXGP — into several real race weekends in 2023 and 2024 to showcase the sport authentically.
The Las Vegas Grand Prix truly shines as one of just nine F1 circuits where F1: The Movie was filmed. Audiences may recognize iconic Las Vegas landmarks that served as filming locations, including the Las Vegas Grand Prix Pit Building, Bellagio Resort & Casino, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Sphere, The Venetian Las Vegas, and OMNIA Nightclub at Caesars Palace Hotel & Casino. Each offers a chance to walk the same paths and experience the same energy captured on screen, blending cinematic moments with real-world luxury, nightlife, and spectacle.
Fans attending the Las Vegas Grand Prix in 2023 and 2024 even caught glimpses of the movie magic. In 2024, guests in the Heineken Silver Main Grandstand witnessed scenes filmed on the start-finish straight between Formula 1 sessions. Driving sequences were often captured in the early hours, around 3:00 a.m. local time, during the Grand Prix weekend itself.
So, how did filmmakers integrate a fictional F1 team into real race weekends? Complete with a fully functional garage, pit wall, and two modified race cars, the producers aimed to bring the most authentic F1 experience possible to the big screen. Although the APXGP cars of Sonny Hayes (Pitt) and Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris) never actually took part in a championship race, the cast and crew were given unprecedented access to the sport’s inner circle— including time on the starting grid, on the track, in the paddock, and even in the off-limits drivers’ briefing room.
On screen, their cars race wheel-to-wheel with the likes of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, and the rest of the F1 grid, with the real-life drivers playing themselves.
The result of this collaboration is one of the most authentic racing movies ever made, featuring jaw-dropping action sequences filmed using high-speed, in-car footage captured by 15 custom-mounted cameras on modified Formula 2 cars designed to look like the real thing. Both Pitt and Idris drove the Las Vegas Strip Circuit themselves after months of on-track training. Footage was shot alongside the real-world action and seamlessly blended into the story.
“We had to invent a brand-new camera system,” said Kosinski. “It’s a new IMAX-quality camera that’s very small and light, and we worked very closely with Mercedes to integrate all the equipment into the car.”
The movie’s realism owes much to F1 driver Lewis Hamilton, who served as an Executive Producer and helped shape the story. F1: The Movie follows aging driver Sonny Hayes (Pitt) as he returns to Formula 1 to help revive struggling team APXGP, run by his former teammate Ruben Cervantes (played by Oscar-winner Javier Bardem).
Filming at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit wasn’t without its challenges. Due to Formula 1’s strict operational schedule and protocols, scenes often had to be captured in a single take. The team worked closely with race officials to maintain both the safety of the event and the integrity of the shoot.
Pitt called the filming of F1: The Movie “one of the most extraordinary experiences” of his career and expressed deep gratitude to Formula 1 and race promoters like Las Vegas for embracing the project.
“It’s unbelievable the way they’ve let us embed into their season,” Pitt said. “We’ve tried not to get in the way, and they’ve been really cool with us — I can’t thank them enough. It’s been one of the most extraordinary experiences I’ve had. I think it shows. At the end of the day, if the guys down pit lane say, ’job well done’ then we’ve done it.”
Don’t just watch the movie – live it! Tickets for the FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX, Nov. 20-22, are now on sale! Secure your spot to see the unparalleled spectacle that made F1: The Movie possible.
