F1 chief warns Netflix they could cancel Drive to Survive to negotiate with other partners

Max Verstappen commits future to Red Bull signing £200m deal

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Fan-favourite documentary series Drive to Survive returns to screens in one week, with the most anticipated season yet following a turbulent 2021 campaign. However, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has suggested there would be little point in continuing the popular Netflix series if it stops adding value to the racing season.

The 2021 season showcased one of the most memorable title fights in F1 history as Max Verstappen pipped Lewis Hamilton to his inaugural crown.

However, the Dutchman secured victory on the final lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix finale following the considerable controversy surrounding Michael Masi’s decisions under a safety car, ultimately leading to his sacking as race director.

That critical moment was the boiling point of an entire season of verbal clashes and hard-hitting collisions on the track between the pair.

And Drive to Survive will also tell the stories of every other team down the grid, giving viewers insight into the different battles that didn’t quite receive similar limelight.

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Ahead of next Friday’s premiere, Domenicali has indicated that fans are in for a treat with ‘lots of action’ expectedly taking place in season four.

He told Wall Street analysts: “There is no doubt that Drive to Survive has had an incredible effect, mainly on the new audiences, and also in other new markets like the US for sure.

“And this will continue, and I can anticipate to you that you have to stay tuned to the new series, because I’ve just had the possibility to see it, and it will be fantastic, with the right tone.

“And as you can imagine, with what has happened last year, there will be a lot of action. So that’s good.”

However, Domenicali warned that Drive to Survive would only continue on Netflix if it adds ‘value’ to F1.

He added: “I think that it’s important for us to be with Drive to Survive, with our Netflix friends, up to the moment where we believe that we’ll make sure that it’s a differentiating factor.

“If it’s becoming just a different way to speak about F1 without adding, or giving to the F1 platform any added value, maybe I think it’s better to renegotiate and see with Netflix and with the other partners what could be a possibility to do something different in the future.

“But for sure, this platform has been a vital part on the growth of awareness, mainly with the young generation and with newcomers of F1.

“And for that we need to thank that vision, and the process and the quality, that has been really very, very good.”

The 2022 F1 season marks the start of a new era in motorsport, with significant aerodynamic changes to the cars on the grid.

Such developments have been made to encourage overlapping and, in turn, more exciting racing throughout the calendar.

Lewis Hamilton is pursuing a record eighth world title again, whilst Max Verstappen looks to retain his widely-disputed crown.

Meanwhile, Ferrari aim to make their long-awaited return to the constructors’ summit, and some are tipping Charles Leclerc to challenge in the drivers’ standings.

With all of that and more to come over the next several months, there will undoubtedly be plenty of storylines for Netflix to release season five in 2023.

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