Just Keep Watching

There’s no singular demographic within FORMULA 1 fandom. The sport has exploded in recent years, with TV coverage and social media making it accessible and obsessed over by folks of every background, every age. (And that’s before you even consider that the championship travels to more than 20 countries each season.) F1® The Album—the soundtrack to Apple Original Film F1® The Movie—follows suit, featuring original songs from artists spanning both geographic and musical spectrums. The soundtrack’s diversity isn’t just there for the sake of it—it sets the tone for the film’s exhilarating, emotional ride. Leave the on-track action (and sounds) to the cars and their colossal engines. It’s the in-between moments where this music comes in: the drama, the tension, the romance, the overcoming. Roddy Ricch’s “Underdog” is all bravado and swagger, a shout-out to the underdogs from atop the rapper’s perch. It feels like the musical embodiment of young gun Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris), the talented rookie with a bright future—and plenty of hurdles—ahead. Meanwhile, the country rock of Chris Stapleton’s “Bad as I Used To Be” perhaps best depicts the rebellious cool of Brad Pitt’s Sonny Hayes, the rule-breaking racer who returns to F1® some 30 years after a near-fatal crash. Elsewhere, Ed Sheeran goes full hard rock on “Drive,” belting it out over chunky guitars and big, brash drums (courtesy of John Mayer and Dave Grohl, no less). K-pop star ROSÉ delivers a passionate, lovelorn ballad with “Messy,” RAYE provides hearty soul via “Grandma Calls the Boy Bad,” and Puerto Rican rapper Myke Towers goes old-school with “Baja California,” rapping in Spanish over a 1991 Black Sheep sample. Dance music reigns throughout the rest of the soundtrack, making it every bit as fitting for a heaving dance floor or a speedy highway joyride. Darkoo’s “Give Me Love” has a sweetly tropical bounce, Burna Boy’s “Don’t Let Me Drown” is smooth and tender, and Obongjayar’s “Gasoline” is ultra-funky and flirtatious. EDM meets rap on “OMG!” by Dutch legend Tiësto (who makes a cameo in the film) and Sexyy Red, while the vibe goes dark and sweaty with the thumping house of PAWSA’s “DOUBLE C” and Peggy Gou’s “D.A.N.C.E.” As with FORMULA 1 itself, there’s something for everyone on F1® The Album. And that’s what makes it such a thrill.