Formula 1: Drive to Survive
GenreDocudrama
Created by
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons5
No. of episodes50
Production
Executive producers
Running time27–51 minutes
Production companyBox to Box Films
Original release
NetworkNetflix
Release8 March 2019 (2019-03-08) –
present (present)

Formula 1: Drive to Survive is a documentary series produced in a collaboration between Netflix and Formula One, to give a behind-the-scenes look at the drivers and races of the Formula One World Championship. The series has received one season per year since 2019, and a total of five seasons have been released, with the latest season scheduled to be aired on 23 February 2024. A crossover event with Full Swing broadcast on Netflix in November 2023 called The Netflix Cup.

Production and concept

On 24 March 2018, Formula One announced that Netflix had commissioned a ten episode docu-series giving an exclusive behind the scenes look at the 2018 Formula One World Championship.[1][2] On 24 July 2019, Formula One announced that a second season would premiere in 2020 covering the 2019 Formula One World Championship, involving all 10 teams.[3][4]

The series is executively produced by James Gay-Rees and Paul Martin for the production company, Box to Box Films. Sophie Todd is the production's showrunner.[5]

Gay-Rees subsequently went on to reveal to The Fast Lane Podcast that Drive to Survive had originally been conceived as a series revolving solely around Red Bull Racing before it evolved into a series about F1 in general.[6]

Filming began for the 2020 season in March but was suspended until July due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[7]

Episode lists

SeriesEpisodesOriginally released
1108 March 2019 (2019-03-08)
21028 February 2020 (2020-02-28)
31019 March 2021 (2021-03-19)
41011 March 2022 (2022-03-11)
51024 February 2023 (2023-02-24)
61023 February 2024 (2024-02-23)

Season 1 (2019)

Main article: Formula 1: Drive to Survive (season 1)
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleOriginal air date
11"All to Play For"8 March 2019 (2019-03-08)
22"The King of Spain"8 March 2019 (2019-03-08)
33"Redemption"8 March 2019 (2019-03-08)
44"The Art of War"8 March 2019 (2019-03-08)
55"Trouble at the Top"8 March 2019 (2019-03-08)
66"All or Nothing"8 March 2019 (2019-03-08)
77"Keeping Your Head"8 March 2019 (2019-03-08)
88"The Next Generation"8 March 2019 (2019-03-08)
99"Stars and Stripes"8 March 2019 (2019-03-08)
1010"Crossing the Line"8 March 2019 (2019-03-08)

Season 2 (2020)

Main article: Formula 1: Drive to Survive (season 2)
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleOriginal release date
111"Lights Out"28 February 2020 (2020-02-28)
122"Boiling Point"28 February 2020 (2020-02-28)
133"Dogfight"28 February 2020 (2020-02-28)
144"Dark Days"28 February 2020 (2020-02-28)
155"Great Expectations"28 February 2020 (2020-02-28)
166"Raging Bulls"28 February 2020 (2020-02-28)
177"Seeing Red"28 February 2020 (2020-02-28)
188"Musical Chairs"28 February 2020 (2020-02-28)
199"Blood, Sweat & Tears"28 February 2020 (2020-02-28)
2010"Checkered Flag"28 February 2020 (2020-02-28)

Season 3 (2021)

Main article: Formula 1: Drive to Survive (season 3)
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleOriginal release date [8]
211"Cash Is King"19 March 2021 (2021-03-19)
222"Back On Track"19 March 2021 (2021-03-19)
233"Nobody's Fool"19 March 2021 (2021-03-19)
244"We Need to Talk About Ferrari"19 March 2021 (2021-03-19)
255"The End of the Affair"19 March 2021 (2021-03-19)
266"The Comeback Kid"19 March 2021 (2021-03-19)
277"Guenther's Choice"19 March 2021 (2021-03-19)
288"No Regrets"19 March 2021 (2021-03-19)
299"Man On Fire"19 March 2021 (2021-03-19)
3010"Down to the Wire"19 March 2021 (2021-03-19)

Season 4 (2022)

Main article: Formula 1: Drive to Survive (season 4)
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleOriginal release date
311"Clash of the Titans"11 March 2022 (2022-03-11)
322"Ace in the Hole"11 March 2022 (2022-03-11)
333"Tipping Point"11 March 2022 (2022-03-11)
344"A Mountain to Climb"11 March 2022 (2022-03-11)
355"Staying Alive"11 March 2022 (2022-03-11)
366"A Point to Prove"11 March 2022 (2022-03-11)
377"Growing Pains"11 March 2022 (2022-03-11)
388"Dances With Wolff"11 March 2022 (2022-03-11)
399"Gloves are Off"11 March 2022 (2022-03-11)
4010"Hard Racing"11 March 2022 (2022-03-11)

Season 5 (2023)

Main article: Formula 1: Drive to Survive (season 5)
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleOriginal release date
411"The New Dawn"24 February 2023 (2023-02-24)
422"Bounce Back"24 February 2023 (2023-02-24)
433"Matter of Principal"24 February 2023 (2023-02-24)
444"Like Father, Like Son?"24 February 2023 (2023-02-24)
455"Pardon My French"24 February 2023 (2023-02-24)
466"Nice Guys Finish Last"24 February 2023 (2023-02-24)
477"Hot Seat"24 February 2023 (2023-02-24)
488"Alpha Male"24 February 2023 (2023-02-24)
499"Over The Limit"24 February 2023 (2023-02-24)
5010"End of the Road"24 February 2023 (2023-02-24)

Season 6 (2024)

Main article: Formula 1: Drive to Survive (season 6)
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleOriginal release date
511TBA23 February 2024 (2024-02-23)
522TBA23 February 2024 (2024-02-23)
533TBA23 February 2024 (2024-02-23)
544TBA23 February 2024 (2024-02-23)
555TBA23 February 2024 (2024-02-23)
566TBA23 February 2024 (2024-02-23)
577TBA23 February 2024 (2024-02-23)
588TBA23 February 2024 (2024-02-23)
599TBA23 February 2024 (2024-02-23)
6010TBA23 February 2024 (2024-02-23)

Reception

The show has received recognition for the additional insight it offers fans,[9] and is credited with attracting new audiences (particularly American) to the sport.[10][11][12] The condensing of season-long themes into single-episode narratives has drawn praise for adapting "the natural drama of a racing season into a narrative that can encourage a fan to tune into the real thing."[13]

However, Drive to Survive has been criticized for including fake or misplaced commentary and team radios,[13][14][15][16] staging certain scenes,[13][17][18] placing undue importance on test and practice sessions,[16][17] and over-dramatizing or misrepresenting certain events and relationships within the Formula One paddock.[14][16][19] The continued criticism from both audiences and drivers led to discussions between Netflix and team managers and between Formula One and drivers.[20]

Max Verstappen notably refused to participate in interviews for seasons 2, 3, and 4 as he believed that the show dramatized some drivers by portraying them as villains and that the show manufactured fake rivalries.[21][22][23] However, Verstappen confirmed his participation in season 5 after reaching an agreement with the producers to "keep it real".[23][24][25]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
2019
 Cinema Audio Society Awards Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for Television Non Fiction, Variety or Music – Series or Specials Nick Fry, Steve Speed, James Evans (for "The Next Generation) Nominated [26]
2020
 British Academy Television Craft Awards Best Sound: Factual Nick Fry, Steve Speed, James Evans, Nick Adams Nominated [27]
Royal Television Society Craft & Design Awards Sound - Entertainment & Non Drama Steve Speed, Nick Fry, James Evans, Hugh Dwan Nominated [28]
2021
 Sports Emmy Awards Outstanding Serialized Sports Documentary Formula 1: Drive to Survive Nominated [29]
British Academy Television Craft Awards Best Sound: Factual Nick Fry, Steve Speed, James Evans, Hugh Dwan Won [30]
Producers Guild of America Awards Outstanding Sports Program Formula 1: Drive to Survive Nominated [31]
Golden Reel Awards Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Non-Theatrical Documentary Steve Speed, Nick Fry, Hugh Dwan, James Evans (for "Down to the Wire") Nominated [32]
Cinema Audio Society Awards Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for Television Non Fiction, Variety or Music – Series or Specials Doug Dreger, Nick Fry, Steve Speed (for "Man on Fire") Nominated [33]
Royal Television Society Craft & Design Awards Sound - Entertainment & Non Drama Steve Speed, Nick Fry, James Evans, Hugh Dwan Won [34]
2022
 American Cinema Editors Awards Best Edited Non-Scripted Series Dan Ablett, Kevin Austin, Otto Burnham, Shane McCormack, Graham Taylor (for "Man on Fire") Won [35]
British Academy Television Craft Awards Best Sound: Factual Doug Dreger, Andrew Yarme, Nick Fry, Steve Speed, Hugh Dwan, James Evans Nominated [36]
Sports Emmy Awards Outstanding Documentary Series - Serialized Formula 1: Drive to Survive Won [37]
Outstanding Editing - Long Form Nominated
Producers Guild of America Awards Best Sports Program Formula 1: Drive to Survive Nominated [38]
2023
 Cinema Audio Society Awards Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for Television Non Fiction, Variety or Music – Series or Specials Nick Fry, Steve Speed (for "Gloves Are Off") Won [39]
Golden Reel Awards Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Non-Theatrical Documentary Steve Speed, Nick Fry, James Evans, Hugh Dwan (for "Gloves Are Off") Won [40]
2024
 Cinema Audio Society Awards Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for Television – Non-Fiction, Variety, or Music/Series or Specials Doug Dredger, Steve Speed, Nick Fry (for "Over the Limit") Pending [41]
Golden Reel Awards Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Non-Theatrical Documentary Steve Speed, Nick Fry, Adam King, Doug Dreger, Ivan Onek, James Spooner (for "Over the Limit") Pending [42]
Producers Guild of America Awards Outstanding Sports Program Formula 1: Drive to Survive Pending [43]

Spin-offs

In 2020, a series similar to Drive to Survive was released on F1 TV based on the 2019 Formula 2 Championship, called Chasing the Dream.[44] Subsequent second and third seasons were produced, each covering the 2020 and 2021 F2 Championships, premiering in 2021 and 2022 respectively.[45][46] The fourth and fifth seasons, based on the 2022 and 2023 F2 Championships, were released on F1 TV as well as free-to-air on YouTube during the respective years.[47][48] Other motorsports have jumped on the "Drive to Survive Train" with Formula E, NASCAR and IndyCar all showing their own respective docuseries.

See also

References

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External links

Formula 1: Drive to Survive by Netflix
Netflix original current series
Categories