The Netflix series has been a huge success for Formula 1, especially in attracting new audiences and broadening the age range of its fans.
The third season was a new record for Drive to Survive , reaching number 1 on Netflix worldwide for the first time, surpassing even the first season, something unheard of in series of this type. However, the fourth season is possibly the most important to date.
For the first time in Drive to Survive history, Netflix has a real title battle to lean on. The fight between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton was the main protagonist throughout the entire season, a fight that is recounted in a first episode that, although it is a bit basic in some aspects, is a good review for those who only see F1 through Netflix.
However, the absence of Verstappen , confirmed by himself due to his opinion that the series had created “false stories or confrontations” in the past, is missing throughout the entire fourth season, with Christian Horner being in charge. to tell your point of view.
The Red Bull team principal seems to assume the role of “bad cop”, criticizing and mocking Toto Wolff (for example, when he sees him on a television screen, where he says: “Oh, shut up! This guy doesn’t have a fucking idea”). Sometimes those scenes get pretty repetitive, so the series could also use a more exact explanation of the rivalry, instead of just showing the criticism and controversy.
Hamilton remained subdued, but his interviews were highly relevant. One of the biggest moments comes when he talks to Wolff about his frustration after screwing up badly in Baku, a race that oddly doesn’t appear in the series. His conversations about his fear of contracting COVID-19 again before the British Grand Prix also draw attention. Without a doubt, that is the kind of information that only Drive to Survive can offer exclusively to fans.
In addition to Verstappen , many other absences are missing throughout the eight (in total there are 10) chapters that have been made available to the media. Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel hardly appear, while Ferrari is only seen in the two episodes starring McLaren. As happened in the third season with the rivalry between Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz, it seems that they are trying to create a forced rivalry between Norris and Ricciardo that really did not happen in reality.
Drive to Survive has always benefited from the big names in the paddock, and this season has been no different. Ricciardo returns to star in a chapter, although his episode, which recounts his victory in Monza, lacks information in some moments.
One of the standout highlights of the series is getting to see Yuki Tsunoda at his best in an episode that he shares with Esteban Ocon. It’s an odd pairing, one that was closely linked from a distance by the fight between Alpine and AlphaTauri for fifth place in the constructors. In that chapter, Ocon ‘s victory in Hungary is very well covered.
Fans will also be pleased to learn that Haas and one of the biggest characters of each season, Gunther Steiner , are back in the spotlight for one of eight episodes. The story recounts the first battles of Nikita Mazepin and the influence of his father, Dmitry , who threatens to withdraw his financial support from the team, since he considers that the Russian driver does not have the same car as Mick Schumacher. Overall, it’s a bit of an exaggerated chapter.
The biggest question mark is in the final two episodes of season four, which have yet to be revealed even to media outlets like Motorsport.com. Although there is no doubt that the controversial Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will have its full chapter, recounting how the drivers’ title was decided on the last lap, with all that this caused afterwards.
That will be the most important part of the fourth season, which although it is true that it continues to show quite a few interesting aspects, it lacks a bit of depth in what was one of the most impressive seasons in the history of Formula 1.
