Wednesday, 28th January 2026
The Association of Motion Picture Sound (AMPS) has announced ‘F1’ (Apple Original Films) as the recipient of the 2026 Award for Excellence in Sound for a Feature Film.
The winners are:
AMPS’ recognition of 'F1' is mirrored across the major international sound awards, underlining a rare consensus among sound professionals worldwide. The film is one of only two titles this year, alongside 'Sinners', to receive Best Sound nominations from every major sound and awards body, including BAFTA, MPSE, CAS and the Oscars.
Reacting to the news, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle on behalf of the 'F1' sound team commented: “I shrieked in my car (I pulled over first) and went on an instant texting frenzy to let my fellow ‘F1’ crew know the fantastic news. So grateful to Joe Kosinski, our filmmakers and the artists at Skywalker Sound for unparalleled support through every pitstop and over every finish line. To be recognised by our peers at such a high level for our work on ‘F1’ is a humbling privilege. We are well chuffed to say the least!” Dash Mason-Malik added: “Thank you to AMPS – I feel honoured to receive an award from my fellow peers.”
AMPS Chair George Foulgham said: “‘F1’ is the worthy winner of this year's AMPS Film Sound Award. The meticulous and exhaustive production sound recording, coupled with the detailed engineering of the incredible sound design, mixed with the driving force of Hans Zimmer's score, creates a cinematic experience that takes the audience on a sonic ride they won't forget. AMPS is honoured to recognise the work of Gareth John AMPS, Dash Mason-Malik AMPS, Al Nelson, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Juan Peralta, Gary A Rizzo and their sound teams."
AMPS Vice Chair Kate Davis added: “I was blown away by the 'F1' soundtrack. The sound work delivers an extraordinary balance of excitement, emotion and realism, capturing the intensity of the sport while never losing sight of the human story. It’s an immersive experience that held me from start to finish.”
AMPS has released a podcast exploring the scale, ambition, and incredible technical detail behind the 'F1' soundtrack, featuring Production Sound Mixer Gareth John AMPS and Supervising Sound Editors Al Nelson and Gwendolyn Yates Whittle. Listen here: Ep55 - 'F1' - Gareth John, Al Nelson and Gwendolyn Yates Whittle
The AMPS Award for Excellence in Sound for a Feature Film recognises the outstanding contributions by film sound professionals whose work brings cinematic storytelling to life through the creative and technical power of sound.
The Award honours the collaborative efforts of the Production Sound Mixer, Supervising Dialogue/ADR Editor, Supervising Sound Editor or Sound Designer, and Re-Recording Mixer. The Production Sound Mixer may nominate a Key 1st Assistant Sound, ensuring all critical contributors are acknowledged and recognising exceptional teamwork.
Now in its 13th year, the AMPS Awards celebrate excellence and dedication across five categories: Feature Films, Television Dramas, Factual Films, Production Audio Products and Post-Production Audio Products. The awards have become a significant fixture in the industry calendar, highlighting the vital role sound plays in storytelling across screen media. Only AMPS members are able vote for the awards, meaning the winners are determined solely by peer recognition at the highest level.
The AMPS Awards have a strong record in identifying future BAFTA and Oscar winners. Last year ‘DUNE: PART TWO’, recipient of the 2025 AMPS Feature Film Sound Award, continued this tradition. Over the past 12 years AMPS Feature Film Sound recipients have gone on to secure the BAFTA Award on 11 occasions and the Oscar 8 times, underlining the prestige and industry recognition associated with the AMPS honour.
The awards are sponsored by Dolby Laboratories, Pinewood Group, Sennheiser, Deity Microphones, Bubblebee Industries and Raycom. Their commitment to innovation and excellence in sound reflects the AMPS mission to champion the art, craft and science of sound in screen storytelling.