Why Drive to Survive is perfect
The start of every new F1 season (I know, I am not topical right now) brings with it the usual drama- new driver lineups, regulation changes, new venues, and the inevitable: criticism of Netflix’s Drive To Survive series from F1 fans.
Netflix’s portrayal of everyone associated with the sport is creative, for the sake of diplomacy. The embellished radio messages, fabricated rivalries, and villainization of certain characters in the F1 scene is frustrating to the ones who know better. To make matters worse, the Netflix crew are allowed exclusive access to the teams and drivers(something fans can only dream of)- so they do have the whole story, but choose to portray an alternate reality. Who can forget Sebastian Vettel’s Mein Gott Muss Das Sein, where they used team radio from a completely different race to amp up the drama, or painting Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz as sworn enemies- while in reality they were, and continue to be, the best of friends?
Right around season 3, one of my friends got into the show, having never watched a race before. I was shocked when she referred to Daniel Ricciardo as unlikable and arrogant! Sure, the man has career planning skills that make me feel less incompetent, but he’s arguably the friendliest face on the grid. I realised that D2S was conditioning the new arrivals to carry a distorted opinion into their first race, which to me was unacceptable. Some drivers seem to think so too- Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton have famously refused to interact with the Netflix crew, meaning no more interviews and stories, but of course, it does not restrict them from using their names in production.
So, why do I say D2S is perfect? In the eyes of a long-time F1 fan, it is straight sacrilege, and that’s the point. At its heart, F1 is a niche sport that appeals to petrolheads and geeks, two groups that usually aren’t mutually exclusive. Here’s the thing about Netflix shows- they are something you put on in the background as you go about your life, and when it gets interesting, you pay attention. People who would never have given the sport a second glance pressed Play, a result of fantastic marketing (and peer pressure from their F1 friends). The advertising sold it, and the drama kept them hooked. Imagine if the show was a nerd-fest: fans would flock to the show, all 14 of us. What Netflix did was convert millions of people into F1 watchers overnight; they don’t need to know the engine noises are fabricated, that Toto Wolff isn’t really a Bond villain- all that mattered is getting them through the gates.
Veteran F1 fans are wrong to hate D2S- because it isn’t for them. It is a necessary evil keeping their beloved sport alive. Drama sells. Do yourself a favour, get your friends to watch this show, and proceed to never watch it yourself. The frankly staggering growth of Formula One, into something almost mainstream, is a win for fans on the whole. A sport struggling to pull sponsorships was transformed into one with packed grandstands every race, and countries bidding astronomical amounts for a chance to host a race weekend.
Netflix isn’t the sole factor in this rejuvenation though, a lot of credit goes to Liberty Media, the conglomerate that owns F1. The push towards the newer generation, and partnerships with streaming platforms have made sweeping changes to the sport’s image. Now a sport with a huge social media presence, it is a far cry from the Bernie Eccelstone days. Discouraging people from talking about your product is bad for business, who would’ve thought? Now can someone please tell Dorna and do the same with MotoGP, please?
