Formula 1: Drive to Survive Season 6 Story:-
Offering unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to one of the world’s most exclusive championships has significantly bolstered F1’s burgeoning popularity and diversified its audience. Consequently, Box to Box Films has remained steadfast in its approach for season six of the docuseries, granting us early access to half of its episodes.
Movie Ratings
| Release Date | 23 February 2024 |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Documentary |
| Creator | Formula One, Netflix |
| Producer | James Gay-Rees, Paul Martin, Sophie Todd |
| Production | Box to Box Films |
| Certificate | 18+ |
Once again, each of the 10 episodes revolves around a key narrative thread from the 2023 season. Given Max Verstappen’s dominance with Red Bull, winning all but one race, the series has been compelled to explore its excitement beyond the racetrack, delving deeper into off-track drama.
This shift in focus proves beneficial, as Drive to Survive continues to struggle with on-track storytelling. The tendency to overlay out-of-context soundbites and pit wall reactions onto action footage, which seemed less pronounced in season five, persists. Portraying race engineers communicating with drivers during the frenetic start down to Turn 1 may seem nonsensical to seasoned F1 enthusiasts, but it’s essential to remember the show’s primary audience.
Where Drive to Survive truly excels for motorsports aficionados – presumably like yourself, if you’re reading this – is in its presentation of fresh fly-on-the-wall footage, a hallmark that remains evident in season six.
The standout of the third episode, centered on McLaren, is the delightful snark, with Red Bull’s Christian Horner relishing in Zak Brown’s team’s misfortunes, further aggravating the situation by openly pursuing Lando Norris. A telling moment occurs when McLaren’s prestigious sponsors express concern to Brown about the team’s performance, followed by a well-crafted segment highlighting the team’s mid-season resurgence with Norris securing second place at Silverstone. While Brown takes the spotlight on camera, there’s a conspicuous lack of mention of Andrea Stella, the team boss credited with turning things around, suggesting a preference from both parties.
Drive to Survive continues its trend of fan service in season six, with the return of unlikely Netflix star Guenther Steiner, who shines despite Haas’ struggles. The portrayal of young female F1 fans swooning over meeting the charismatic Italian at his book signing feels surreal yet meta, highlighting the show’s role in elevating Steiner’s popularity.
Although Steiner may have had his final appearance on the show due to his replacement at Haas, another fan favorite, Daniel Ricciardo, enjoys a storyline worthy of Hollywood. The series captures Ricciardo’s journey alongside struggling Nyck de Vries, including pivotal moments like Red Bull’s decision to give de Vries a second chance at AlphaTauri after Ricciardo’s test at Silverstone.
Ricciardo later returns for a second episode focused on his wrist fracture in Zandvoort, introducing Liam Lawson as his temporary replacement. While Ferrari and McLaren also feature prominently in the latter half of the series, the most gripping drama unfolds with Alpine’s implosion, particularly the feud between Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly. The departure of Laurent Rossi and Otmar Szafnauer adds further intrigue to Alpine’s storyline.
Netflix maintains its tried-and-tested formula in season six, catering to fans of behind-the-scenes insights. While the series may not sway non-fans, those seeking popcorn-worthy entertainment and willing to overlook occasional embellishments will undoubtedly enjoy the ride.
All 10 episodes of Drive to Survive season six are available on Netflix from Friday 23 February.