Netflix has proven to be nothing less than a revolution in F1. Since the advent of Drive to Survive, the annual docuseries, the sport has attracted audiences around the world. Nico Rosberg recently discussed the impact this will have on Formula One. The 2016 world champion not only praises Netflix for helping bring in many new fans, but also for saving the sport from a potential slump.
Speaking on the Business of Sport podcast, Rosberg said: “I think they were very lucky, and our sport was lucky, because they did a good job with it and were able to find very open-minded personalities. It was like a reality TV series.” he added, “Now in the United States, and of course in Europe, Formula 1 is very big. Everyone is a Formula 1 fan.”
Formula 1 was going through a slump when it came to viewership before Liberty Media bought the commercial rights. The US media giant has introduced a slew of changes to the way sports are broadcast. An active presence on social media was another notable change. However, the biggest one was giving Netflix access to behind-the-scenes events.
The Drive to Survive campaign also puts drivers and other important F1 entities at the forefront of its coverage. This has helped fans connect with them and the sport on a more personal level.
While Nico Rosberg highlights that it gives the docuseries a more realistic feel, it is one of the factors responsible for their popularity. Despite all the praise, Rosberg has yet to appear on the show.
Nico Rosberg was divided over whether to appear on DTS in his time
Drive to Survive aired its first season in 2019. However, Nico Rosberg bid farewell to the sport immediately after winning the 2016 world championship. But would he appear in the docuseries if he was filmed while still active?
The same is unlikely as Rosberg discussed being so focused on the job when he was a driver. Having Netflix cameras around him and interviews was a distraction.
However, he admits that it was not easy to say no to it. This is because of the perks that come with being associated with Netflix. Hey opinion “At the same time, I really wanted to do it because of its reach and the power it generates.”
As of 2024, Drive to Survive has completed six seasons with a seventh season under construction. There seems to be no reason in sight for Formula 1 to stop anytime soon. Meanwhile, Netflix has shown no signs of stopping the series either.
