Welcome to Business of Speed.
We are witnessing something pretty unique in F1 business (hell, all of sports business): A $300M(?) Hollywood film that could actually move the needle for a publicly traded league.
F1: The Movie, starring Brad Pitt, hits theaters officially today. Early projections indicate it will pull in $59–75 million, a strong start for any racing film. (For comparison: Ford v Ferrari opened at $31M. Gran Turismo did $17M.)
But here’s the catch: Apple produced this one. And with a reported budget north of $300M (per Puck’s Matt Belloni), the bar for success is sky-high.
Theaters may fill. Critics may cheer. However, unless it achieves significant success, headlines will likely label it a flop.
But for anyone who reads this newsletter and follows me across social media, you know this isn’t just about the box office.
If F1: The Movie breaks out beyond the hardcore fans, it could do what Drive to Survive did in 2019 by bringing in millions of new viewers, boosting U.S. media r…
