The overarching narrative of Drive to Survive is that the series manipulates facts and statistical truths in every which way possible to make its version of events better, more dramatic, and more addictive to watch. The formula paid off in the initial few seasons as an increasing number of viewers flocked to the Netflix series and became increasingly invested in the events of Formula One.
Formula 1 is not merely a scripted event made for the entertainment of its viewers; it is a highly competitive sport with the lives and reputations of teams and drivers at stake. To twist an already high-adrenaline spectacle into a comically reductive version of itself is an insult to the sport and everyone involved with it.
As such, Drive to Survive has time and again fielded critics, fans, drivers, and team principals when they have vocally spoken out against the show. And yet, Netflix has a lot to learn from its past mistakes as it steps into the becoming of Season 8.
Drive to Survive dooms itself to repeat the past
When Drive to Survive was first called out by drivers, team principals, and other F1 personnel, the show’s executive producer James Gay-Rees made a bold claim by stating that “[The series] is a soap opera,” and that “People invest in the characters.” He believes that in order for F1 to reach a wider audience, the story needs to appeal to the masses since television works best only when it is relatable (via Insider).
However, this exact quality is also what lands Drive to Survive repeatedly in hot water. Up-and-coming legends of the sport like Max Verstappen and Lando Norris have vocally spoken out against the series‘s dangerous stance on selective editing and criticizing its fabricated storylines that are simply used as clickbait (via The Guardian).
Instead of rectifying its production process, Drive to Survive pushes through the narrative and justifies its intentions by claiming that the episodes do in fact follow real events and are not entirely fabricated:
In order to help make Formula One appeal to a wider audience, we tell these stories in an entertaining and compelling way. Drive to Survive has been a very important part of growing the sport and reaching new audiences. We should focus on the positive impact of the series and not criticise something that has been hugely beneficial to the whole sport.
However, that alone does not help redeem the series’s damaging reputation. Even more shocking is the fact that series executive producer, James Gay-Rees, has no intention of rectifying Drive to Survive‘s current formula of portraying the events of Formula 1 in a highly dramatized fashion, saying:
You have to get the essence of what you’re trying to get across. It becomes an interpretation of what happened, but our ambition is always to tell an authentic story […] And the teams have enough issues on their plate, be it not winning enough races or internal issues, that we end up being the least of their problems.
Criticizing the teams and drivers for calling out Drive to Survive‘s manipulated storylines, Gay-Rees claims that the show is presented in collaboration with the FIA and that the teams have no editorial control or power to change the show’s narrative. His defense of the Netflix series also means that Drive to Survive is fated to repeat the mistakes of its past and Season 8 of the series will be no better than the last 6 years.
Drive to Survive is a necessary evil in the world of F1
Success often does not come at the expense of everyone’s benefit. Some heads roll and a few backs are stepped on to reach the level of fame, celebrity, and popularity that Netflix enjoys with Formula 1: Drive to Survive. Created for the profit of Liberty Media, which bought Formula 1 in 2017 for $4.6 billion, the Netflix series expands the popularity of F1 to reach a broader demography.
By 2019, Drive to Survive had become a household favorite in the US while also reaching the farthest corners of the globe. The niche sport has turned into a universal fan-favorite almost overnight, and the Netflix series was behind the rising phenomenon. In 2021, nearly half a million fans turned up at the Circuit of the Americas to witness the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, live.
The statistics of viewers who tuned in to watch the F1 Grand Prix all over the world rose to 50 million in 2021. An overall estimate of 73 million fans were added to the F1 market involving countries such as Brazil, France, and China. Such a turnaround would never be possible in 2 years without a miraculous feat, and Netflix’s Drive to Survive did just that with its innovative storytelling.
Despite its fabricated nonsense, selective editing, false portrayal of drivers, faked rivalries, and misleading audio clips, Drive to Survive allows access to the high-octane behind-the-scenes drama of the everyday lives of F1 racers. The tweaked storylines not only grant the series a reality TV-like quality but keep the fans coming back to it to satiate their never-ending curiosity.
Drive to Survive Season 1-7 is available to stream on Netflix.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
