Formula 1: Drive to Survive is a documentary series commissioned by F1 and broadcast exclusively on Netflix. Season 3 is fast approaching and should be released ahead of the new 2021 F1 season.
The series combines the on-track action with behind-the-scenes footage filmed at grand prix and at team factories, and even follows drivers back home as they travel the world.
Drive to Survive’s incredible access shows a side of F1 that’s rarely seen on a typical racing weekend, and the production is credited with introducing a wave of new fans to the series.
Drive to Survive: Season 3 release date
Drive to Survive Season 3 is slated for release on Friday, March 19, 2021, nine days before the start of the new F1 season in Bahrain. Every episode of the first two seasons has been made available immediately, and season 3 shouldn’t be any different.
Season 1 and Season 2 both consist of 10 episodes, and Season 3 will also feature these many episodes despite the 2020 F1 season being delayed and then shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When the season finally started, the size of the film crew had to be reduced in order to comply with the restrictions in the paddock.
Which teams and races will be covered in Season 3?
The scenarios for Drive to Survive Season 3 have not been confirmed, although it is highly likely that we will take a closer look at Lewis Hamilton’s historic seventh world title, the early victories of Pierre Gasly and Sergio Perez, and the debut of George Russell at Mercedes, among other highlights. from the 2020 season.
The film crew was in the paddock when the Australian Grand Prix was called off, so this could well be covered in Season 3. When the first race finally started in Austria in June, the film crew followed suit. McLaren and Red Bull, so Lando Norris’ first podium and Alex Albon’s collision with Lewis Hamilton are strong contenders to feature.
Drive to Survive was seen filming Ferrari during the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, where both cars failed to complete. Cameras also followed Nico Hulkenberg’s cameo at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, when the German replaced Sergio Perez shortly after the Racing Point driver tested positive for COVID-19.
Mercedes hosted the cameras on the show for the Russian Grand Prix in Sochi, where Lewis Hamilton was attempting to equal Michael Schumacher’s record of 91 Grand Prix victories. However, his weekend fell apart when he was penalized for making two practice starts on the wrong part of the circuit, putting the feat on hold.
How to watch Drive to Survive
Drive to Survive is exclusively available on Netflix, so you’ll need a subscription to watch the series.
Netflix’s basic plan costs £ 5.99 per month, but you can only watch one screen at a time using your account. The Standard plan switches to dual screens and upgrades picture quality to HD, costing £ 9.99 per month. The Premium subscription costs £ 13.99 per month: this adds Ultra HD and lets you, your family and friends watch four different things at any time.
Netflix is available on smart TVs, game consoles and Blu-ray players, as well as computers and laptops. You can also download Drive to Survive to your smartphone or tablet to watch it on the go.
So far, the episodes have lasted from half an hour to 50 minutes.
Who does Drive to Survive?
Drive to Survive is produced by Box to Box Films, a UK company founded by James Gay-Rees and Paul Martin, who act as executive producers for the series. As a producer, Gay-Rees has been nominated twice for Best Documentary at the Oscars and won a BAFTA for critically acclaimed Senna, while Paul Martin has produced a number of sports documentaries.
Sophie Todd is the showrunner of the series and had a decade of experience producing factual programming for the BBC, Channel 4 and Discovery before getting involved in Drive to Survive.
Netflix hasn’t given exact viewing figures for Drive to Survive, but the streaming giant claims season 1 was watched in over a million UK homes in the first four weeks after its 2019 release.
As of January 2021, Netflix had over 200 million subscribers worldwide.
What happened in season 1?
Season 1 of Drive to Survive was released on March 8, 2019 and covered the 2018 F1 season. Eight teams agreed to take part in the documentary, although Ferrari and Mercedes – the two teams fighting for the championship that year – chose not to host film crews.
In some ways, this was a blessing in disguise as it allowed the series to focus on characters and storylines that weren’t getting as much coverage as the championship fight. Most notably, the series transformed Haas Team Director Guenther Steiner into a cult figure, with its colorful language providing endless entertainment during a year of roller coaster rides for the team.
Season 1 also featured Daniel Ricciardo’s Monaco Grand Prix victory and the events leading up to the shocking switch from Aussie to Renault. The France squad’s strained relationship with Red Bull is also covered, as is the battle between Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon to secure the remaining seat alongside Lance Stroll at Racing Point for the coming year.
What happened in season 2?
Drive to Survive Season 2 released on February 28, 2020 and focuses on the 2019 F1 season. This time, Mercedes and Ferrari have agreed to participate, giving the film crew access to all ten teams at different times of the season.
Famously, Drive to Survive was invited to follow Mercedes as the team marked its 125th year in motorsport at its grand prix at Hockenheim. Sporting a special livery and the team dressed in retro clothing, the event was meant to be a celebration, but the weekend was a disaster for the Silver Arrows as Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas crashed in wet conditions .
Other storylines filmed throughout the season include Ricciardo’s new life at Renault, Gasly’s struggles and Red Bull’s eventual demotion to Toro Rosso, Sebastian Vettel’s battle with teammate Charles Leclerc at Ferrari and the first Carlos Sainz Jr’s podium at the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos.
There are also poignant moments as the series documents the death of Niki Lauda and the crash that killed F2 pilot Anthoine Hubert at Spa.
Will there be a season 4?
There is no confirmation yet of a Drive to Survive Season 4. Circuit of the Americas boss Bobby Epstein credited the series for the circuit’s record-breaking ticket sales ahead of the U.S. Grand Prix in 2019. , a benchmark that was to be broken again in 2020 before the race was canceled due to COVID-19.
The previous seasons were officially announced during the summer before their release, although the presence of Netflix cameras at the races in 2021 – before an official announcement was made – would make Season 4 something of the sort. formality.
