Alright gearheads and speed freaks Formula 1 is revving up for another season of insane racing and behind-the-scenes craziness! And you know what that means right? Netflix's Drive to Survive is back to give us all the juicy details. But this year the drama is not just on the track it's happening off-screen too with Max Verstappen calling out the show and HUGE driver transfer rumors swirling around. Let's dive into all the F1 frenzy!
Drive to Survive Season 7: By the Numbers - Get Ready for a Ton of Footage and Behind-the-Scenes Action!
So how much work actually goes into making Drive to Survive? Turns out it's a LOT. Formula1.com gave us some crazy numbers straight from the production company Box To Box and it's mind-blowing. We are talking about a year-round operation with over 160 people working on each season! They shoot at every single Grand Prix which is now a massive 24 races a year. Can you imagine the jet lag?
And the footage? Hold on to your helmets they have captured almost 10000 HOURS over seven seasons. Season 5 alone racked up over 90 million viewing hours. That's insane! They use up to six main cameras at some races plus GoPros and boom mics to catch everything from track action to candid paddock chats. Apparently they even had 20 radio mics running at some races just to get all the sound. Talk about dedication!
Drive to Survive Season 7 - Production Stats in Numbers:
- 160+ people in production edit and delivery teams per season.
- 24 Grand Prix events covered each season.
- 10,000+ hours of footage captured over 7 seasons.
- 90+ million hours viewed for Season 5 in the first few months.
- 190+ countries where the series is available.
- 50+ languages the series is translated into.
- Up to 6 main cameras used at selected Grand Prix weekends.
- 20 radio mics in play at races.
- 50 frames per second delivery for best quality.
- 70 episodes available after Season 7 launch.
Season 7 of Drive to Survive is dropping on Netflix on March 7th just in time to get us hyped for the actual F1 season opener in Melbourne on March 14-16. Get your popcorn ready folks!
Max Verstappen Calls Out Drive to Survive for "Twisting the Truth" - Is the Show Getting Too Dramatic?
Now here's where things get spicy. Max Verstappen Mr. World Champion himself has called out Drive to Survive for exaggerating storylines. He was on a Twitch stream talking about how the show made it look like he was super "upset" after Lando Norris won the Miami Grand Prix in 2024.
Verstappen was like "Apparently I was very upset after Miami. I literally had the best time ever Sunday night so I don't know what I was upset about." He was joking but he has a point. Drive to Survive is known for amping up the drama to make things more exciting for viewers even if it means bending the reality a bit.
He even mentioned a scratch on his nose that Season 7 of Drive to Survive supposedly gave "so much attention". It sounds like the show might be focusing on minor things to create drama where maybe there wasn't much in real life. Verstappen has said before that he understands they need drama for the show to be entertaining but he also wants to be "portrayed well" and not have things completely made up.
It raises a question: is Drive to Survive still keeping it real enough or is it crossing the line into pure entertainment at the expense of the actual truth of F1? It's a debate for sure and something to think about as you binge Season 7.
Hamilton & Verstappen... at Ferrari?! Shocking Transfer Rumors Shake Up the F1 World
Okay brace yourselves for this one because the rumor mill is in overdrive. Imagine this: Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton teammates... at Ferrari. Yeah let that sink in.
It sounds crazy right? These two have been arch rivals on the track especially after that intense 2021 championship battle. But now with Hamilton moving to Ferrari in 2025 there's talk that Verstappen might just join him there too. Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher is saying it's not totally out of the realm of possibility. He even thinks a Verstappen to Ferrari move is becoming "more logical".
Why would Verstappen leave Red Bull when he's been dominating? Well Red Bull's performance has supposedly dipped a bit and there are whispers he might be looking for a change even though his contract runs until 2028. Aston Martin was also mentioned as a potential destination but Ferrari with Hamilton? That would be box office gold and pure F1 madness.
Could you imagine the drama of Hamilton and Verstappen as teammates battling for the championship in Ferraris? It would be an F1 storyline for the ages and Drive to Survive would have a field day with that kind of material!
Villeneuve's Take: Verstappen Needs a "Peculiar" Car and Team That Fits His Unique Driving Style
Former world champ Jacques Villeneuve weighed in on the Verstappen transfer talk too. He thinks if Verstappen does jump ship he needs to be super careful about picking the right team. Villeneuve says Verstappen is a "peculiar driver" who drives "to the limit" and needs a "specific car".
Apparently Verstappen likes "very precise cars very pointy cars with a very good front end". Not every team designs cars like that and not every driver can handle that style. Villeneuve points out that Red Bull has developed their cars to suit Verstappen's style which might make it harder for his teammates like Perez to keep up. It also means if Verstappen moves to a new team he needs to make sure their car philosophy actually works for him or it could be a disaster.
So if Verstappen is considering leaving Red Bull it's not just about going to the fastest team on paper. It's about finding a team that understands his driving style and is willing to build a car that lets him be Max Verstappen. Ferrari certainly has the resources and the prestige but would their car and team structure be the right fit for the current world champ?
F1 Dream Teams? Possible Driver Line-ups for 2025 and Beyond:
Let's just throw out some crazy driver line-up scenarios for 2025 and beyond based on all this buzz:
- Ferrari Firepower: Lewis Hamilton & Max Verstappen - Imagine the ultimate dream team or ultimate rivalry depending on how you look at it.
- Red Bull Reloaded: Current Line-up of Verstappen & Perez stays but with a potentially faster car to keep dominance.
- Aston Martin Ambition: Verstappen joins Alonso - A dark horse team up with two super experienced and aggressive drivers.
- Mercedes Mix-Up: Russell with a new superstar teammate if Hamilton leaves maybe even Alonso or another top talent.
- McLaren Mania: Norris & Piastri continue to grow together becoming a serious threat as a duo.
Okay these are just wild speculations but with F1 you never know what crazy transfer news might drop next! The driver market is always a rollercoaster.
Buckle Up F1 Fans: 2025 is Shaping Up to Be an Insane Season On and Off the Track!
Whether you are in it for the racing the drama or just the amazing Drive to Survive series Formula 1 in 2025 is already looking like it will be epic. Season 7 of Drive to Survive promises more behind-the-scenes action than ever Verstappen is stirring the pot with his comments and the driver transfer rumors are absolutely wild. Get ready for a season of speed surprises and maybe even some team-mate fireworks if those Verstappen to Ferrari whispers turn out to be true. What driver moves do YOU want to see? Let us know in the comments below!