The Grand Prix documentary series has proven to be a huge success in attracting new audiences to Formula 1 since its launch in 2019.
However, the over-dramatization of the storylines and the way it has exaggerated the rivalries has drawn some criticism from fans, but also from drivers.
World champion Max Verstappen, in particular, has refused to participate in the series due to what he considers to be too many falsehoods.
“They created some rivalries that don’t really exist,” Verstappen explained in an interview with the Associated Press last year. “So I decided not to be a part of it and I didn’t do any more interviews after that, because then there’s nothing you can show.”
F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali is aware of the benefits the Netflix series has brought to the sport, but equally understands that some drivers may not like the way it is shown to them.
He assures that, after the conversations with the teams about the situation, Netflix will be pressured not to falsify so many things, so that all the pilots can feel comfortable participating.
“There is no doubt that the Netflix project has been very successful,” Domenicali said in an interview with some media outlets, including Motorsport.com.
“In order to create interest in a new audience, a tone was used that was somewhat focused on dramatizing the story.”
“It’s an opportunity, but I think you have to understand it. We also talked about it this weekend [in Bahrain] in a meeting with the teams.”
“A driver who refuses to participate because he feels he is not being represented in the right way is not a constructive thing to do, so a dialogue is needed to understand how he can be included in the way he feels is right.”
“We will also talk to Netflix, because it is necessary that the story does not stray 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 remains attractive, but without distorting the image and meaning of the sport that we live every day.”
Verstappen isn’t the only driver to have expressed some concern about the way Netflix has treated them – or used appointments and communications with the team out of context to make things more dramatic.
Lando Norris, McLaren driver, wanted to make his opinion of the documentary series clear after the launch of the last season:
“Obviously there are some comments and things here and there that are maybe off the mark, for sure. When you’re the person being talked about, you might not agree with it so much because it can make it seem like you said something at one point and place, which is definitely not correct,” he said.
