IWC, from the track to the screen with the F1 film

Produced by Apple Original Films and Warner Bros Pictures, the film F1 is undoubtedly the most eagerly awaited film of the summer, and IWC is delighted to be involved. As a major sponsor, the Swiss watch brand is banking on the power of this big-budget film project to showcase its world to the general public.

As a long-standing partner of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team, IWC is playing a strategic role in the film's launch. But this time, the partnership goes far beyond simply displaying a logo on a single-seater car or a watch on screen. The immersion in the brand's universe is total: on one side, the real Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS team; on the other, APXGP, a fictional team created for the film F1. Ahead of its official release shortly, IWC is preparing the ground.

During the Miami Grand Prix in early May, IWC organised several activations, including an event on a rooftop in the Wynwood district, bringing together figures from the film and the real world of F1. In attendance were actors, drivers and iconic figures from the sport, including Toto Wolff, Mercedes-AMG team principal, and driver George Russell. Guests also had the opportunity to discover the APXGP watch collection, inspired by the film, which was launched at the Watches and Wonders show in Geneva earlier this year.

Another highlight was IWC's presence at the 82nd Goodwood Festival of Speed (an exclusive weekend of motor racing and high-speed track demonstrations reserved for members), where IWC has been the official timekeeper since 2015. Actors Damson Idris and Kerry Condon shared anecdotes from the set, while visitors had the opportunity to see an original race car used in the film and watch a stunt demonstration on the track. A pop-up was also on hand to showcase the brand's latest timepieces.

In the role of Sonny Hayes, Brad Pitt tells the story of a former F1 prodigy from the 1990s whose career is brutally cut short by an accident. Thirty years later, now an independent driver, he is contacted by his former teammate Ruben Cervantes (played by Javier Bardem), who is now the boss of a team on the brink of bankruptcy. He convinces Sonny to return to try to save the team and drive alongside Joshua Pearce (played by Damson Idris), the team's new recruit, who has also become his fiercest rival.

IWC is involved in this ambitious film project as much as a simple partner. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer has emphasised that the partnership with IWC allows the film to tell an authentic story, thereby enhancing its credibility. However, the partnership is mainly based on subtle product placement, with each character wearing an iconic watch from the brand: the gold chronograph, Aviator Chronograph Performance 41, worn by Joshua Pearce, and the Ingenieur Automatic 40 with a green dial worn by Sonny Hayes.