Netflix has a significant influence on Formula 1 in the recent years through its documentary series "Formula 1: Drive to Survive". The series, which premiered in 2019, follows the teams, drivers, and key personnel of the F1 world throughout the season, giving viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the sport. Netflix's influence on Formula 1 has been very positive in so many ways, bringing the sport to a wider audience and increasing its popularity. The series has also provided fans with a greater understanding of the sport and its key figures, and has helped to make F1 more accessible and relatable to new fans.
Increased global audience
Formula 1 teamed up with Netflix in 2018 to produce Drive to Survive, giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at various F1 teams. Since the first series of episodes in 2019, the series has become one of the most popular shows on Netflix. The fourth season, which was released before the start of the 2022 F1 season in March, reached number one in the charts in no less than 33 countries. According to Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, the "Drive to Survive" series has helped to bring a new audience to the sport, particularly in the United States. "We've seen the growth of Formula 1 in the US market thanks to Netflix," Domenicali told Motorsport.com in March 2021. Thanks to the popularity of Formula 1 in the US market we now have added two more races to the line up. In 2022 we have seen the first race at the Miami GP and soon in November 2023 we will have the Las Vegas GP.
Boosted team and driver popularity
According to a survey by sports marketing agency Two Circles, the popularity of some F1 drivers and teams featured in the Netflix series increased significantly after the show was released. For example, McLaren's popularity increased by 66% among US fans, while Renault's popularity increased by 67% among UK fans. This goes across all teams where the driver brings their whole nationality to support them in the races. Max Verstappen and Netherlands, Logan Sargeant and the US, Yuki Tsunoda and Japan, Zhou Guanyu and China etc etc.
Read also: Five reasons why F1 Drivers live in Monaco
The Series brings out the Drama
In Formula 1 you are the hero one week and the next week a hopeless loser. We already knew that, but thanks to Netflix we now get a better picture of the impact this has on the drivers and the teams behind. A door that was still stuck until recently is now open thanks to Netflix. We therefore definitely recommend that you take a look. There is also criticism of the series here and there. For example, Max Verstappen has stopped working on Drive to Survive since season 4, because he thinks rivalries are being ‘faked’. Max Verstappen is not a fan of Drive to Survive. “The series is all about excitement and it has to be exciting, so they position you in the way that fits the episode. You've been interviewed and they also use the words under different circumstances, so it never really fits. I never really liked that.”
Higher social media engagement
The increased popularity of F1 teams and drivers featured in the Netflix series has translated into higher engagement on social media. For example, according to research by Hookit, Red Bull Racing's social media engagement increased by 22% in the month after the release of the second season of "Drive to Survive”. Not only on social media but the series has an undeniable influence on the popularity of the sport. An average Formula 1 race is watched live by almost 90 million people this year, compared to 80 million five years ago.
Positive impact on F1's image
According to F1 commercial chief Sean Bratches, the "Drive to Survive" series has helped to change the perception of the sport and make it more accessible to fans. "We're no longer the rather aloof, cold, technical sport that we've been for decades," Bratches told CNN in 2019. "We're now a sport that is approachable, that's human, that has fantastic athletes and really interesting storylines.” This has resonated with the female audience and even the organizer of the Mexico GP, namely Alejandro Soberon, has indicated that they have already welcomed 30 percent more female fans to the races this year compared to the previous year.
While there is no doubt that the impact of the "Drive to Survive" series on F1 has been positive, it is worth noting that the show is just one factor contributing to the sport's recent growth and popularity. Other factors include changes to the sport's rules and regulations, the emergence of exciting new drivers, and a growing interest in motorsports among younger generations.
Learn more: The Benefits of Online Casino
Comments