Formula 1: Drive to Survive

Formula 1: Drive to Survive follows the people behind the wheel when a cutthroat season unfolds. The cameras track drivers, managers, engineers and team principals as they chase podiums and sponsorships while negotiating contracts, politics, and personal strain. Viewers glimpse the split-second decisions that shape race outcomes and the long hours poured into preparation, testing, and strategy. Off the track, the pressures of media scrutiny, the roar of the crowd, and the constant hunger for better performance collide with personal ambitions and rivalries. Masters of strategy weigh tire choices against weather and risk, while engineers push close to the limit to squeeze every tenth from a car. It reveals the daily grind behind the glamour, making each moment feel consequential.

Released in 2019 as a Netflix documentary series created by James Gay-Rees, Drive to Survive provides unprecedented behind the scenes access to the sport. It follows the pre-season shuffles, the mid-season sprint, and the off-season negotiation rounds, inviting viewers into the team briefings and driver media sessions.

The series has earned recognition from major award bodies with multiple nominations across seasons, highlighting its influence on sports documentary storytelling and its role in bringing Formula 1 to a broader audience. It has been praised for its craft and access.

The series helped expand Formula 1's global audience, especially in the United States, turning drivers into household names and fueling conversations about team drama, rivalries, sponsorships, and the human cost of chasing speed. It also shaped how Netflix and other streaming services approach sports documentary storytelling.

Critics praised the access and energy of the storytelling while noting the series sometimes trades nuance for drama. It digs into ambition, risk, and the politics of sponsorship, while also exploring the bond between drivers, engineers and their teams under intense pressure.