Formula 1 fans rev your engines! The seventh season of Drive to Survive is finally here on Netflix and it is already causing a stir. This season promises all the behind-the-scenes action drama and rivalries we crave but it seems like not everyone is happy with how things are portrayed. Max Verstappen is back in the spotlight calling out the show and guess what Lando Norris ' epic Miami Grand Prix win is right in the middle of it.
Verstappen Slams Drive to Survive for 'Twisting the Truth' About His Reaction to Norris' Miami Win
Max Verstappen is not one to hold back his opinions and he definitely has some thoughts about Drive to Survive Season 7. In a recent Twitch stream Verstappen straight up said the show made him look "upset" after the Miami Grand Prix in 2024 when Lando Norris took home his first ever Grand Prix win. Remember that race? Norris totally nailed it capitalizing on a safety car at jUSt the right moment and leaving Verstappen in the dust.
Verstappen even joked "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 being sarcastic of course pointing out that the show created a false narrative. Fans even noticed that in a clip from Drive to Survive showing Verstappen supposedly looking glum in the cool-down room he was wearing a cap from the Zandvoort race not Miami! Talk about a detail slip-up.
Verstappen has called out Drive to Survive before. He gets that the show is made for entertainment and drama but he also wants things to be somewhat accurate. He said in the past "Of course I understand when you create a show there needs to be drama it needs to be exciting. But I'm a guy who finds it also very important that you're portrayed well and that they do not start to copy comments on the different kinds of footage while it didn't happen like that." It seems like this Miami portrayal is another example of that dramatization.
Drive to Survive: Love It or Hate It You Can't Deny Its Massive Impact on F1
Okay so Verstappen is not thrilled with how he is shown sometimes but let's be real Drive to Survive has been a game changer for Formula 1. The Netflix series has undeniably boosted F1's popularity around the globe especially in places like the US where F1 was not always a mainstream thing.
Think about the numbers Season 5 alone racked up over 90 million viewing hours in just the first few months. The show is available in over 190 countries and translated into more than 50 languages. That is a massive reach. Even Verstappen admits "I know it's also very important for Formula 1." It has brought in new fans created storylines and made the drivers bigger personalities to a wider audience.
Behind the Scenes of Drive to Survive: Crazy Numbers and 12 Months of Work
Ever wonder what goes into making Drive to Survive? It is a year-round operation. Box To Box the production company films at every single Grand Prix all 24 of them! They capture almost 10000 hours of footage over seven seasons. That is insane.
For a typical race weekend the crew uses up to six main cameras and even more GoPro cameras all over the paddock. They use up to 20 radio mics to catch driver and team communications plus boom mics for candid moments. After each race F1 sends Box To Box race feeds from over 24 track cameras and up to 80 onboard cameras.
Putting it all together is a huge team effort. Around 160 people work on each season from production to editing to delivery. Editing starts in the summer and goes all the way until late January to get episodes ready for Netflix by mid-February. Early episodes can be edited by a smaller team but later ones especially those covering the season finales often need a whole group of editors working together. It's a massive undertaking to bring us this inside look at F1.
Lando's Miami Moment: A Real Win Versus Netflix Drama
Back to Lando Norris and Miami. For Norris that Miami Grand Prix was huge his first ever F1 win. He was thrilled as any driver would be celebrating his victory. He even joked after the race "I might have more than just a scratch on my nose tomorrow! I don’t care. But I’ll enjoy my time this only happens once when you’re taking your first win it’s nice to do it here in Miami."
Drive to Survive obviously covered this big moment for Norris. But by focusing on Verstappen's supposed disappointment they might have downplayed Norris' achievement a bit in favor of creating drama. Verstappen himself said he actually had a great time celebrating with Norris that Sunday night after the race. So the Netflix portrayal might not fully capture the real story of that Miami weekend which was ultimately about Norris' well-deserved victory.
Drive to Survive By the Numbers: Key Stats from the F1 Docuseries
- 70: Total episodes of Drive to Survive after Season 7 launch.
- 190+: Countries where Drive to Survive is available.
- 50+: Languages Drive to Survive is translated into.
- 24: Grand Prix events attended by crews each season.
- 160: People working on each season (production edit post-production delivery teams).
- 10000+: Hours of footage captured over seven seasons.
- 90 Million+: Viewing hours recorded by Season 5 in its first few months.
Entertainment vs. Authenticity: The Drive to Survive Dilemma Continues
Drive to Survive is definitely a double-edged sword. It has brought tons of new fans to F1 and given us a closer look at the sport. But it also faces constant criticism for prioritizing drama and entertainment sometimes at the expense of fully accurate storytelling. Max Verstappen's latest comments just highlight this ongoing debate.
Season 7 is out now. F1 fans will be tuning in to see how they portray the 2024 season the rivalries the big moments and yes probably some dramatized reactions. Whether you love it or hate it Drive to Survive is a major part of the F1 world now and it is not going anywhere anytime soon. And let's be honest we will probably all still watch it even with a grain of salt and maybe a chuckle at some of the "twists" they add.