F1: The Movie delivers a fresh perspective on high-stakes racing, and Porsche’s recent behind-the-scenes feature offers a closer look at how the luxury automaker helped bring authenticity to the film’s opening sequence. Directed by Joseph Kosinski and headlined by Brad Pitt, the picture represents Apple’s first major theatrical success, debuting with $55.6 million in North America and $144 million worldwide. By embedding a fictional Porsche GT endurance squad—Chip Hart Racing—into the real-world Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona, the filmmakers captured genuine race-day energy without compromising narrative flow.
In the three-and-a-half-minute Porsche video, cameras roll alongside mechanics and drivers as they prepare cars originally fielded by Wright Motorsports. Footage shot at Daytona International Speedway during January 2024’s endurance classic shows how the production team managed to blend scripted drama with live competition. When the actual race flags fell, the Chip Hart entry was already in place, allowing filmmakers to capture pit stops, on-track battles and the roar of V8 engines in naturally lit conditions—details that would have been difficult to stage on closed tracks.
Beyond event coverage, Porsche also provided dedicated training sessions, granting actors and stunt drivers time behind the wheel of GT3 race cars. These rehearsals not only improved driver safety but ensured that cockpit angles, pit-lane choreography and tire-change sequences felt grounded rather than staged. Kosinski notes that access to genuine race machinery and factory engineers made a significant difference in the film’s technical credibility.
Although F1: The Movie centers on Formula 1 circuits, Daytona’s endurance scenes set the tone for a story that values precision over spectacle. Porsche’s involvement underscores a broader trend in sports filmmaking: when manufacturers open their garages to filmmakers, the resulting footage can elevate both storytelling and visual realism. For audiences accustomed to CG-heavy racing sequences, Porsche’s contribution demonstrates that sometimes the most compelling thrills come from real rubber meeting real asphalt.
F1 The Movie
If you’ve already seen F1: The Movie, Porsche’s behind-the-scenes glimpse sheds light on the logistical and technical hurdles of making a racing film. For those who haven’t, it stands as an invitation to experience why a theatrical release—rather than a streaming debut—still matters for capturing the scale, sounds and subtleties of motorsport. Either way, this collaboration between a storied automaker and a premium studio release hints at new possibilities for how racing stories can be told on the big screen.
