When Apple Original Films’ F1: The Movie started popping up in serious Oscar conversations, my first reaction was mild surprise. Sure, F1's first reactions were strong, and a lot of critics really enjoyed it, yet I was still slightly confused by the film's 2026 Oscar nominations. Despite being a slick, star-driven racing movie from Joseph Kosinski, it's not an obvious awards darling, and yet the more I’ve sat with what Academy voters are actually saying about it, the more I’m starting to think this “surprise” nomination makes a lot more sense than I initially thought.
According to a recent deep dive from Variety into anonymous Oscar ballots and behind-the-scenes voter sentiment, F1 is quietly one of the most well-liked films in the race. Voters repeatedly describe it as “great” and “good old-school entertainment,” which might sound faintly damning until you remember who makes up a large chunk of the Academy.
