F1: The Movie has proven to be a significant financial success. Not only did it provide actor Brad Pitt with his best-ever opening weekend, but it also became the most successful cinema release for producer Apple. Furthermore, the film has also brought substantial commercial benefits to Liberty Media, the rights holder of Formula 1. Thanks in part to the blockbuster, the revenue for the Formula One Group rose to over 1 billion dollars in the second quarter of 2025.
Liberty Media announced its quarterly figures on Thursday. After a disappointing first quarter of 2025, where the rights holder earned 150 million dollars less than the previous year, revenue grew in the second quarter to 1.226 billion dollars. The majority of this revenue increase came after the F1 movie started screening in cinemas.
Increasing Recognition
Not only does Liberty Media itself benefit from the revenue increase, but the teams can also financially ride on the success of F1: The Movie. The ten racing stables are entitled to 513 million dollars of the revenue. However, for Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, it’s not just about financial success. “I would say that the effect of the film is not just about the dollars and the economic input,” said the Formula 1 CEO during the presentation of the earnings figures on Thursday. “But that the sport gets an incredible opportunity to increase its recognition and generate a circular economy around that theme.”
In addition to the film, Domenicali also points to social media as a factor behind the financial growth of the sport. “Cultural moments such as the F1 movie, along with the exciting action on the track, are attracting more and more viewers and increasing social and digital engagement,” the Italian continues. “This includes a record number of social interactions with the content of the official F1 channels. We are experiencing excellent momentum, both on and off the track.”
