Formula 1 will meet with Netflix to discuss the future of popular documentary <em>Drive to Survive</em> after accusations that the show “faked” drama.
The fourth series premiered ahead of the 2022 F1 season and has again returned apparently strong viewership among subscribers to the streaming platform giants.
Credited with causing an expansion of the sport’s audience, particularly in the US, Drive to Survive has also been criticised for manipulating footage to present certain narratives that may not be true to what happened.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen declined to take part in the latest series and said that the show had “faked a few rivalries which don’t really exist”.
Lando Norris, of McLaren, has also highlighted problems with aspects of the show.
Stefano Domenicali, the CEO of F1, insists that the show is beneficial for the sport, but also believes “a dialogue is needed” to ensure that both Netflix and the drivers are happy.
“There is no question that the Netflix project has had a very successful effect,” Domenicali told Motorsport.com Italy.
“In order to ignite the interest of a new audience, a tone was used that in some ways focused on dramatising the story.
“It’s an opportunity, but I think it needs to be understood. We talked about it this weekend [in Bahrain] at a meeting with the teams as well.
“A driver who refuses to participate because he feels he is not being represented in the right way is not being constructive; so a dialogue is needed to understand how he can be included in a format that he feels is correct.
“We will also talk to Netflix, because it is necessary that the story does not move away from reality, otherwise it no longer fits.
“It is a topic that we will address together with the drivers. We have to make sure that a project that has generated such exceptional traction has a language that continues to appeal, but without distorting the image and the meaning of the sport that we live with every day.”
Drive to Survive has been praised for having an ability to offer insight into the drivers’ personalities and enable viewers to relate to the sport and the characters of the grid.
F1 reported a 40 per cent increase in American television ratings for the 2021 season, making it the most watched in history in the country.
The Miami Grand Prix has been added to the calendar for 2022, marking the first time since 1984 that two races have been hosted by the US.
Several other sports are set to launch similar documentaries in partnership with Netflix, including golf, tennis and road cycling.
