“You’ll see more of me” in Drive to Survive after talks with producers – Verstappen

2022 F1 season

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Max Verstappen says he will feature more heavily in the next series of Drive to Survive after meeting with the producers of a programme he previously accused of “faking rivalries”.

The Red Bull driver voiced his unhappiness over his portrayal in the first season of Drive to Survive, which is produced by Box to Box Films. He reiterated his complaint last year and said he had refused to participate in the fourth series, which premiered in March on Netflix.

“They faked a few rivalries which they don’t really exist,” he said. “So I decided to not be a part of it and did not give any more interviews after that because then there is nothing you can show.”

F1 has already agreed for a fifth and sixth season of the series to be produced. The series’ CEO Stefano Domenicali said he intended to encourage drivers who had avoided taking part in the series to reconsider.

Verstappen said he has “talked to the people who are in charge and who are running the show” and “came to a good understanding for the future.”

“Last year I was not really involved,” he explained in an interview for Barstool Sports. “There were a few things I was not really happy with.

“Especially faking rivalries between drivers. That for me is a tough one because of course [the series] did wonders in America.

“But also I think sometimes they portray a few drivers differently to how they actually are. And then, of course, the people who are to have one are saying, ‘ooh, this guy’s a bit of a dick’ or whatever, which in real life he’s not.”

Although Verstappen has not co-operated with the programme makers since the first season, he has continued to appear in Drive to Survive as they are able to use footage shot in the paddock and supplied by FOM. However the world champion has now indicated he is co-operating with the team behind the programme once again.

“For the future we came to a good understanding of how we can work together,” he said. “So I’m sure in the next one you will see a little bit more of me.”

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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15 comments on ““You’ll see more of me” in Drive to Survive after talks with producers – Verstappen”

  1. So basically. Make me look good and I will be part of it.

    1. Not only that….but make Red Bull look good. Red Bull is a marketing company, they know how the game works.

    2. Or maybe – just maybe – the producers decided to watch some f1 in their free time and realised they didn’t need to create a fake reality this season (up until now anyway).
      There’s always hope eh :)

    3. He’s never really been made to look bad. It’s the same issue other drivers raised; they didn’t like the contrived rivalries and dishonest editing of certain things.

  2. Seann Sheriland
    29th June 2022, 16:24

    Hypocrite with ego. Sad

  3. How swiftly one can transition from “Free Willed Wild Child” to “Corporation Puppet” after reaching the top.

  4. It may simply be that Max genuinely didn’t like the way some driver’s relationships were portrayed and has reached an agreement to not dramatise something to the extent it becomes disingenuous.

    I love watching DTS and look forward to seeing more of Max in it next year.

  5. bottomline… everyone has to bow to the COPORATE! lol (not saying that’s wrong.. RBR pays him a boat load of $$$ )

  6. The Dolphins
    30th June 2022, 4:52

    Max doesn’t hate DTS, Christian agrees Masi was wrong. What universe is this?

    1. Nikos (@exeviolthor)
      30th June 2022, 7:29

      Well what Horner agreed to is not exactly an admission that Massi benefitted Max.

  7. Lol what a joke. Who cares if the dramady is alittle made up? As long as the technical side stays true. People will always have opinions about drivers teams etc irrelevant of what the facts are. We all know this is the age of making stuff up. I liked DTS. Big ups to the creators for rhat show because they brought in a whole new fan base.

    1. Well the subjects of DtS care. Thats the only opinion that matters, without subjects no DtS.
      And bringing in more fans with disingenuous propaganda, that are then disillusioned by the actual sport, does more harm than good.

  8. The 2021 season of F1 was so full of drama and the rivalries between Max & Lewis (and their teams) were so fierce that I don’t think faking anything could ever make it more unbelievable. Maybe DTS will just stop blockbusting it for one year, for a change…

  9. Should we be looking for “Max Verstappen executive producer” in the opening show credits?

  10. This is good if Max can influence the show to be more real and not soap opera.

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