First re-runs of old films, now sports. With new film releases in short supply, IMAX will begin screening Formula 1 on its giant screens through a partnership with Apple.
For now, the agreement applies only to the US, where Apple TV has secured the rights to Formula 1, but it highlights a broader trend of cinemas starting to think outside the box.
Specifically, five Formula 1 Grands Prix – Miami, Monaco, Silverstone, Monza, and Austin – will be shown live in at least 50 IMAX cinemas across the US between May 3 and October 25, 2026.
From museums to PLF
The IMAX partnership is notable because, over the past decades, IMAX has transformed itself from a venue for documentary movies in museums and planetariums into the leading PLF cinema (Premium Large Format), competing with formats such as Dolby Cinema, 4DX, Cinity and Epic.
Also read: Vue has started closing IMAX auditoriums
Concerns about operating costs and lifespan have eased as cinemas have transitioned to laser projection. The next step in enabling cinemas to show other types of content is the installation of large LED screens, although they remain very expensive.
- "Apple TV and Joe Kosinski’s brilliant F1 The Movie proved beyond a doubt that the speed, precision, and artistry of Formula 1 translate beautifully to the IMAX Experience, and we are very excited to further our collaboration with Apple and offer fans more of what resonated so deeply with that film by presenting live F1 races to them in IMAX," said Jonathan Fischer, Chief Content Officer at IMAX.
- "As we continue to expand our global content portfolio with awe-inspiring experiences, we look forward to working with Apple to amplify its live coverage of Formula 1 and give fans in the U.S. an all-new way to experience this fast-growing sport."
Part of something bigger?
In the US, Apple will also stream Formula 1 in Apple TV app as part of the regular Apple TV subscription. The IMAX partnership raises several questions; first and foremost whether this is part of something bigger?
IMAX, for example, already has an app for Apple Vision Pro, where races could be shown on a virtual screen that looks many times larger than even the biggest IMAX canvas, alongside movies.
The companies could even take it a step further with Formula 1 in Apple Immersive Video format: 180-degree 3D video that surrounds the viewer's field of vision. Imagine sitting virtually inside the cockpit. Alternatively, being able to watch Formula 1 on multiple virtual screens at once.
Apple has not yet commented on how it plans to present Formula 1 on Apple Vision Pro. The company has a presentation scheduled for March 4. The new Formula 1 season begins on March 8.
