How F1 Movie Filmed at Daytona by Partnering with a Real IMSA Team When Formula 1 movie premiered, many fans were surprised to see the film open not on a Grand Prix circuit, but at the famous Daytona International Speedway. The sequence shows Pitt’s character, Sonny Hayes, competing in the Rolex 24 at Daytona behind the wheel of a Porsche 911 GT3 R. What many may not realize is that this wasn’t a staged film set at all, the footage was captured during a real IMSA race weekend. The Challenge of Filming During a Race Director Joseph Kosinski and his crew originally wanted to enter a dedicated camera car into the Rolex 24. Their plan was to send the car out on track solely to collect footage, not to compete. However, IMSA officials rejected the idea, insisting that any car on track had to participate as a legitimate race entry. The Compromise: A Team Partnership Instead of fielding their own car, the F1 production team partnered with Wright Motorsports, a Porsche team competing in IMSA’s GTD class. The car was rebranded in the livery of the movie’s fictional team, “Chip Hart Racing,” and Wright’s real crew wore matching uniforms to blend into the film’s story. To capture pit lane sequences, IMSA extended one practice session by half an hour, allowing for choreographed pit stops with Brad Pitt himself behind the wheel. According to IMSA executives, what appears on screen is genuine: Pitt actually drove the Porsche during production. Keeping It Authentic The filmmakers also wanted to stage a Victory Lane celebration while the Rolex 24 was still underway. That request was turned down. Daytona International Speedway president Frank Kelleher explained that such a scene would break authenticity. By the end of a race, Victory Lane is covered in champagne, confetti, and filled with exhausted photographers, not the spotless scene that a pre-arranged shoot would create. To preserve realism, the filmmakers waited until the official GTD class celebration was finished before rolling the movie car in. Reality vs. Fiction On film, Sonny Hayes’ Rolex 24 effort ends as a triumphant moment. In reality, the Wright Motorsports Porsche finished 26th in the race. Still, by embedding themselves in a live event and partnering with a genuine IMSA team, the production captured an authenticity that a closed set could never replicate.
