Pakistan, July 1 -- Apple's high-octane racing film 'F1: The Movie' roared to the top of the US and Canadian box office this weekend, fueled by star power and a finely-tuned marketing campaign, according to Comscore.

The movie, which stars Brad Pitt as a Formula 1 racer who returns to the track after an accident nearly ends his career, brought in $55.6 million in ticket sales in the two countries. That tally edged past the $45 million to $55 million pre-weekend domestic forecast from the Boxoffice Company.

Worldwide receipts topped $88 million, propelled by the sport's strong fan base in Europe and Latin America.

Racing films typically sputter in theatres, according to Daniel Loria, senior vice president of the Boxoffice Company, a the...