DRIVE TO SURVIVE: SEASON 6 REVIEW

With the first race of the stacked 2024 Formula 1 calendar going lights-out this Saturday and last week’s pre-season testing providing fans with a small taste of what’s in store this year, we were all treated to a pleasant throwback with the release of Netflix’s hit series, Drive to Survive. 

Returning for its sixth season of nail-biting behind the scenes action, this season took a deeper dive than ever into the lives of drivers, teams, and the divisive politics involved in fighting for coveted championship points at the cutting edge of motorsport. 

Here’s our guide to the latest season of Drive to Survive (if you haven’t already binged the whole season like we have!) … 

Episode 1 - Money Talks 

Episode 1 centres around the Silverstone-based competitors Aston Martin and their aspirations for the 2023 season. With a rare insight into the life of usually private team owner Lawrence Stroll and his wishes for the team, the episode follows his reaction to son Lance Stroll’s bicycle accident that very nearly left him unable to take part in the Bahrain season opener, and the team’s impressive podium performances in the first races of the year. A remarkable third-place finish and series of further podiums in the opening races leaves Aston Martin as Red Bull’s closest competitor in the early season. 

Episode 2 - Fall from Grace

The second episode focuses on just how brutal and competitive Formula 1 can be with Nyck de Vries’s ill-fated rookie campaign in Formula 1 racing for AlphaTauri (now Visa Cash App RB). Following an impressive drive for Williams the previous season while filling in for Alex Albon and scoring points at his F1 debut, the episode recalls Nyck’s impressive racing history in his lead up to a permanent seat in Formula 1. However, a series of unsatisfactory results for bosses at Red Bull and AlphaTauri leaves Nyck replaced by ex-McLaren and Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo mid-season following an impressive test lap at Silverstone after the British Grand Prix. Drive to Survive does a great job here showing us fans just how much pressure rookie drivers are under to deliver. 

Episode 3 - Under Pressure

An episode with plenty of Papaya screen-time, ‘Under Pressure’ takes a closer look at the incredible mid-season turnaround McLaren were able to achieve in 2023. After finishing P5 in the 2022 constructors, McLaren was set to level up again in 2023 with rookie Oscar Piastri taking the second seat next to Brit Lando Norris. 

However, a rough start to the season for the Woking team leaves star driver Lando Norris with an underperforming car and questioning his loyalty to Zak Brown and the McLaren team. Following Norris as he questions the next step in his career, the episode culminates with a mid-season upgrade bringing a seriously impressive performance jump for the team at Silverstone. A P2 and P4 finish to the home crowd is enough to prove to Norris that the team is on the right path and renewed his contract, signing off the episode with the heartwarming comment, “finishing second at Silverstone was one of the best days of my life. Like, without question". 

Episode 4 - The Last Chapter 

Episode 4 shifts its focus to the teams at the back of the grid, Haas and Williams Racing. Following James Vowles as he takes up a new position managing the historic, but admittedly struggling, Williams team, we see the struggles faced by the new principal as he attempts to modernise and bring the team back into to the competition. A shocking revelation when James admits that the team was in even worse shape than expected shows audiences just how steep the mountain Williams must climb is.

With closest competitor Haas, led by the fan-favourite Guenther Steiner kicking off the season with some impressive points victories, we see how an improvement for Williams and a lack of pace and reliability from the American outfit quickly switches things around and leads Haas into crisis as they sit plumb-last at the back of the grid. We see Guenther contemplating his future with the team meeting long-time friend and ex-Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto to chat through what he should do next. 

Episode 5 - Civil War

Personalities clash within the Alpine team in Episode 5, with Pierre Gasly joining to complete the all-French lineup for the Enstone-based team. As the episode takes a look through the history of both Ocon and Gasly, we can see that their relationship as pretty fractious at times and presents a potential issue for the team. With both drivers keen to be number one, we see this all come to a head in the Australian Grand Prix, where they collide following a race restart, leaving the team without points on an otherwise excellent race for Alpine. A headache for principal Otmar Szafnauer, we see pressure rising on the boss to keep his drivers in check for the benefit of the team. 

Episode 6 - Leap of Faith

While this episode may already seem already out of date with Hamilton only last month confirming he’s going team red, Episode 6 gives us fans a better insight into the struggles of Mercedes and the inner-conflict Hamilton faces regarding his future with the team. With focus centring around the performance of the Mercedes car over the past 2 years and the seven-time champ’s contract up for renewal, we see team principal Toto Wolff fighting to retain his star driver. While Hamilton does eventually sign a new contract with the team, us Formula 1 fans know what happens next… 

Episode 7 - C'est la Vie

Episode 7 continues the Szafnauer saga with the Alpine principal under pressure from bosses at the team following a turbulent start to the season. Following the earlier crash at the Australian Grand Prix, a double DNF at Silverstone and the two drivers colliding in Hungary leaves Alpine executives with a dilemma over Szafnauer’s future. The team eventually make the unprecedented move to drop their team principal mid-season, and it’s clear from what we see that this was anything but a mutual agreement, with a visibly upset Szafnauer seen talking to others in the paddock following the news. 

The episode finishes with Gasly’s podium at the Dutch Grand Prix, but viewers are left a little flat after seeing the internal struggle the team have been through in 2023. With a fresh slate for 2024, we look forward to seeing how Alpine works to improve in the new season. 

Episode 8 - Forza Ferrari

Drive to Survive returns behind the scenes with Formula 1’s longest running (and arguably most famous) team, Ferrari. 2023 saw big changes for the Italian team, with new principal Frédéric Vasseur at the helm, this episode dives into the pressures faced by the new boss and the team’s struggles in the opening races of the season. With journalist Will Buxton likening Ferrari to a religion in Italy, ‘Forza Ferrari’ follows fans as they express their disappointment at the team’s performance, going so far as to point out that Vasseur ‘doesn’t even speak Italian’. 

However, with an impressive qualifying in Monza (although the battle between drivers Sainz and Leclerc during the race did induce some panic), and the only non-Red Bull win of the season in Singapore, fan opinion appears to shift in favour of Vasseur and hopes are high for the team moving into the new season. Will Ferrari continue to improve into 2024 as Red Bull’s closest competitor? 

Episode 9 - Three's a Crowd

Picking up on the AlphaTauri story from Episode 2, with Daniel Ricciardo now in a seat at the Red Bull sister team, the pressure is on to prove that the driver decision made after Silverstone was the right one. Heartbreak came for Ricciardo at the Dutch Grand Prix, where during practice the driver suffered a broken wrist that left him out of action and the team calling on young talent Liam Lawson to take his place. Following Lawson’s impressive performance, the team are left with a potential dilemma over their lineup – with the teams not shy of the fact that AlphaTauri is there to nurture future Red Bull drivers. 

The episode finishes with a meeting between Christian Horner and Liam Lawson, where Horner assures the young Kiwi driver that his time will come. Lawson isn’t afraid to let his feelings known, saying “It’s meant to be me”. One thing’s clear from this episode – this isn’t the last we’ll be seeing of Liam Lawson. 

Episode 10 - Red or Black 

The final episode of the season, Red or Black brings the glamour of Vegas to our screens. Covering the battle to P2 in the constructors between Mercedes and Ferrari, episode 10 gives us a closer look at the tension between the two teams as they trade points right to the final race in Abu Dhabi.

First though – Vegas! Here we see just how the damage Sainz sustained by a rogue drain cover affected his weekend, and potentially, vital points in the battle with Mercedes. An awkward interview with team principal Vasseur and an impressive drive from Leclerc against Perez’s Red Bull in the race are the main takeaways fro the first Las Vegas Grand Prix covered on Drive to Survive. 

Red or Black’s attention then turns to the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi. With all to play for between the two teams, the final laps of the season are all about tactics. In the end, Mercedes claim P2 in the constructors from Ferrari, even with Leclerc’s impressive finish. Fans are granted a look at just how deflating this is for the Ferrari team who fought right to the end with the Brackley team for this position. Nonetheless, this tight battle definitely makes for entertaining viewing. 

Now you’re all caught up, it's time to shift focus to 2024! With the first race going lights-out this weekend in Bahrain, the points at 0, and a further 23 races to follow, the excitement is building for what is sure to be a thrilling 2024 season. 

Get your tickets to see the British Grand Prix in person this July here.