“Best viewed in IMAX!” read the promotional advisory of the F1 movie. When a spectator did actually choose the experience, they were naturally blown away by the high-octane experience they were treated to. However, they also left the theaters with a pinch of sadness, considering how the IMAXxF1 was a one-off experience. But not anymore!
Formula 1 Set To Give Its Fans the Best Viewing Experience via IMAX
Formula 1 fans in the United States are about to get a whole new way to experience the thrill of the World Championship. In a first-of-its-kind partnership, IMAX and Apple TV have announced that five of the 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship’s most iconic Grands Prix will be broadcast live in IMAX theaters across the country, bringing motorsport’s speed and spectacle to screens far larger than television or streaming devices.
The collaboration marks a bold expansion of what cinema can offer beyond traditional movies, leveraging IMAX’s massive screens and Apple TV’s new role as the exclusive U.S. broadcaster of Formula 1. As part of this initiative, at least 50 IMAX locations nationwide are expected to present live race screenings this season — a schedule spanning spring through autumn of 2026.
F1 Grand Prix races in Miami, Monaco, Silverstone, Monza and Austin will be available to screen in Imax theaters nationwide.https://t.co/d03MtMj2Lx
— Variety (@Variety) February 19, 2026
Five of the season’s standout events have been selected for this treatment:
- Miami Grand Prix – May 3, 2026
- Monaco Grand Prix – June 7, 2026
- British Grand Prix (Silverstone) – July 5, 2026
- Italian Grand Prix (Monza) – Sep. 6, 2026
- United States Grand Prix (Austin) – Oct. 25, 2026
These live IMAX broadcasts are engineered to enhance the immersion that F1 already delivers, with giant screens and premium audio bringing every rev of the engines, strategic on-track battles, and unpredictable race-day drama into sharp relief. For many fans, the sheer scale of an IMAX presentation could create the closest possible experience to being inside a Formula 1 paddock without actually attending a Grand Prix.
The announcement builds on the momentum generated by “F1: The Movie,” a 2025 Apple Original Films’ release that became a major box-office success in IMAX theaters.
Shot entirely with IMAX-certified digital cameras and directed by Joseph Kosinski, the film grossed over $650 million globally, with nearly $98 million from IMAX alone, proving that the combination of high-speed racing and giant-screen spectacle resonates with audiences.
Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vice president of Music, Sports, and Beats, described the initiative as a way to “deliver the energy and excitement of Formula 1 to even more screens in a truly immersive way,” emphasizing the sport’s rapid growth in cultural influence, particularly in the United States.
Jonathan Fischer, IMAX’s Chief Content Officer, echoed that sentiment, noting that the film’s success proved that F1 translates exceptionally well to IMAX and that live races could now broaden that appeal beyond cinema blockbusters into real-time sporting events.
Details on exact theater locations, ticket pricing, and showtimes are expected to be released later this spring, as fans eagerly await a new way to watch race weekends unfold on screen sizes worthy of the world’s fastest motorsport.
