From the paddock to the red carpet: How F1 is flourishing at the world’s biggest awards

F1 The Movie has been making headlines since its release earlier this summer, but now it’s racing into entirely new territory – the Grammys. The film’s official soundtrack has picked up not one – but three nominations at the 2026 Grammy Awards, including Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media and two songs for individual consideration.

Featuring a mind-blowing score composed by the legendary Hans Zimmer, and original music from artists such as Ed Sheeran, Doja Cat and Tate McRae, F1 the Album was designed to capture the energy and emotion of Formula 1, from the build-up before lights out, the rhythm of a flawless pit stop, and the release of emotion at the chequered flag in music. It’s the first time F1 has featured at the Grammys – a sign of just how far the sport now reaches beyond the circuit on a race weekend.

But this isn’t the first time F1 has caught the attention of the awards world. From Emmys and Laureus honours to BAFTA nods and even knighthoods, the sport and its stars have rightly been recognised well beyond the track...

From pit lane to playlist – F1 Grammys breakthrough

For a sport where finding the right rhythm is everything, tensions build to stratospheric levels, and releases of intense emotion after a race are not uncommon, it’s hardly surprising that the sport translates so naturally into music.

F1 The Movie's soundtrack, titled F1 the Album – produced by Apple Studios and Atlantic Records – is the perfect accompaniment to the film featuring Brad Pitt, Javier Bardem, and Kerry Condon. Hans Zimmer’s cinematic orchestration blends flawlessly with contemporary artists, so every movie moment has a perfectly matching sound. As The Independent reported, Lewis Hamilton even played a hands-on role in shaping the album’s global sound, championing diversity, and helping to select tracks and artists to reflect the sport’s worldwide audience.

This resulted in recognition from the members of the Recording Academy, who put forward music from the album in three different categories. Tate McRae’s hit Just Keep Watching is up for Best Dance Pop Recording and already has over 400 million streams on Spotify. Chris Stapleton’s Bad As I Used To Be is nominated for Best Country Solo Performance, while F1 the Album is put forward for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media.

Back in June, Billboard’s Top Movie Songs chart was dominated by the album, with seven of its tracks appearing in the top 10 – a clear sign of how strongly the soundtrack resonated with F1, music, and movie fans. The album’s inclusion on the list marks F1’s first appearance on a major Grammys shortlist, putting the sport in the same conversation as cultural hits Barbie and Oppenheimer.

Whether or not F1 The Album takes home a trophy, it’s already made an impact on the sport – turning the sound of Formula 1 into something fans can blast over race weekends, play on a long drive, or simply to score their everyday lives.

Silver screens and silverware

If F1 The Movie took the sport to the big screen, Netflix’s Drive to Survive brought it to living rooms all over the world.

Since its debut series in 2019, the Netflix docuseries has undoubtedly transformed F1’s audience, pulling in millions of new fans into its captivating world. Its unique behind-the-scenes storytelling highlights, unseen garage moments, and intricate team politics – completely reshaping how viewers can connect with the sport.

The show’s critical acclaim from fans has been matched by industry recognition. Since 2021, Drive to Survive has earned Sports Emmy nominations for Outstanding Documentary Series – Serialised every single year since its launch. With wins in 2022 and 2025, the show has certainly made a significant impact in the sports documentary industry.

It’s no exaggeration to say the series helped shift the global image of motorsport too – and its countless Emmy wins and nominations simply confirmed what fans already knew: the drama of F1 never stops...

But it's not just Drive to Survive that has been recognised for its enthralling storytelling in the world of F1. Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story on Disney+, another F1 documentary and narrated by Keanu Reeves, captured the imagination of fans and critics alike. Its vibrant retelling of Jenson Button’s title winning 2009 season – when Ross Brawn’s underdog team shocked the world in a fairytale season – earned an International Emmy for Best Sports Documentary.

Ron Howard’s 2013 film Rush, which dramatised James Hunt’s epic rivalry with Niki Lauda, was nominated for Best Film (Drama) at the Golden Globes and received BAFTA nods for its editing and sound design. The film, featuring Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Bruhl, and Olivia Wilde, remains one of the most critically acclaimed sports biopics of the modern era – and is still an entertaining watch over a decade later.

And in 2023, Villeneuve Pironi: Racing’s Untold Tragedy, a feature documentary exploring the complex friendship turned rivalry between Ferrari drivers Gilles Villeneuve and Didier Pironi, won Best Feature Documentary at the International Motor Film Awards. The film was praised for its sensitivity, historical insight, and cinematic craft, highlighting how the real life drama of F1 can rival anything scripted when it comes to Hollywood thrills.

The 2010 documentary movie Senna which charted the life and career of F1 legend Ayrton Senna, also received plenty of accolades, as it won two BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) awards for Best Documentary and Best Editing.

And the Senna mini-series on Netflix was nominated for the highly prestigious Critics Choice Award in 2025 for the Best Foreign Language Series.

The Laureus connection – celebrating F1 amongst other sporting giants

When it comes to sporting prestige, few honours carry the weight of the Laureus World Sports Awards – and F1 has featured prominently amongst its winners.

In 2022, Max Verstappen took home the coveted World Sportsman of the Year award after clinching his first World Championship title. Accepting the award, the now four-time champion said it topped off his whirlwind year.

“A big thank you to everyone voting for me from the Laureus Academy. It’s been a very special year – a very hectic year because the pressure was always on. I couldn’t do this without the team behind me and the people back at the factory,” he said at the time.

Just two years earlier, Hamilton shared the same title with football icon Lionel Messi – the first time in Laureus history that the award was jointly given.

It was a recognition of not only Hamilton’s sixth world title at the time, but also of his influence beyond the track with his tireless work in diversity and environmental advocacy. The Brit also won the Laureus Breakthrough of the Year award in 2008 for his stellar 2007 rookie season where he finished runner-up in the Drivers' Championship.

Daniel Ricciardo followed Hamilton’s footsteps, earning the Breakthrough in 2015 after his remarkable debut season with Red Bull. The late Niki Lauda was recognised a year later with the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award, celebrating a career defined not just by his exceptional three World Championship titles, but by his infamous resilience, leadership, and extraordinary contribution to F1 on and off the track.

Teams have also shared the spotlight, with Mercedes winning Team of the Year in 2018 after a fourth-consecutive Constructors and Drivers’ Championship double, while Brawn GP and Button were honoured in 2010 for their unlikely Championship wins.

What’s next?

The star power of Formula 1 has never burned brighter. From the latest Grammys nominations and Emmy wins to numerous red-carpet appearances and chart-topping soundtracks – the sport’s reach is undeniably growing.

And as F1 continues to break new ground and extend into new fields and arenas, who knows what could be next. One thing’s for sure: whether it’s on the podium, a playlist, or the big screen, F1 isn’t done collecting trophies just yet...