Netflix original Formula 1: Drive to Survive has been renewed for a second season, and this time, it’ll focus on all F1 teams including frontrunners Mercedes-AMG and Scuderia Ferrari.
F1 and Netflix‘s collaborative series proved a runaway success in its first season, its riveting portrayal of the 2018 season’s high points (or, at least, some of them) drawing Netflix viewers to F1 and vice versa. Both the general public and racing fans enjoyed the series, though the latter criticized the show both for its over-dramatization of otherwise dull moments and the lack of attention paid to F1’s two most competitive teams—Mercedes and Ferrari.
The latter criticism wasn’t the fault of Netflix or the show’s producer, Box to Box Films; participation in Drive to Survive is voluntary, and neither Mercedes nor Ferrari deemed contribution worthwhile in 2018. That presumably changed when the two teams noticed how much Drive to Survive raised the stock of rival outfits because F1 and Netflix have announced that all 10 F1 teams will appear in the second season of Drive to Survive, which is scheduled to air in 2020.
“We are thrilled to once again be working with Netflix on the second series of Drive to Survive,” declared Ian Holmes, F1’s director of media rights. “It is a truly unique series which allows fans to see the unseen side of F1, showcasing the personalities and emotions each team and driver goes through, both on and off the grid. Drive to Survive has enabled us to reach an entire new fanbase globally and partnering with Netflix for a second season ensures we are continuing to put fans at the heart of what we do, making the sport more open and accessible to all.”
At this rate, the 2019 F1 season may have too many memorable moments for just 10 episodes of Drive to Survive to cover them all. Bahrain, Austria, and Britain could use episodes of their own, and with this weekend’s weather forecast looking wet, the German Grand Prix may join them on the list of this season’s best races so far. Odds are that Sebastian Vettel’s praying he won’t repeat last year’s championship-defining mistake, should rain fall this weekend in Hockenheim.