The production started in Silverstone during the British Grand Prix in mid-July 2023, where the two main actors, Brad Pitt and Damson Idris, were present. The next stop was the Hungaroring between 21 and 23 July, where the Hollywood star Brad Pitt was absent due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, according to the Hungarian sport news site, Nemzeti Sport.  

Unlike many other productions, like Gladiator 2 in Malta, the shooting of Apex was not postponed and the fictitious Apex team’s garage was built in the pit lane of the Hungarian racetrack. The scenes were shot in the pit lane and on the starting grid that did not require Pitt's presence. Stuntmen were in the race cars at all times, replacing the actors.

The production had asked the press covering the Hungaroring not to take photos of the shoot, and it was forbidden to approach the film crew with questions, according to Nemzeti Sport.

Apex is produced by Apple Studios in collaboration with the seven-time world champion F1 driver Lewis Hamilton’s production company, Dawn Apollo Films, and Jerry Bruckheimer and Chad Oman of Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Plan B Entertainment. The production was serviced in Hungary by Mid Atlantic Films.

Before the strike, the original plan was that Apex would be filmed throughout the F1 season. If they stick to it, the shooting will continue at the Belgian Grand Prix between 28 and 30 July 2023.