The new season of Netflix’s hit Formula 1 series Drive to Survive has prompted fresh accusations of inaccuracy but its producer insists they strive to be authentic.
Lando Norris described parts of one seventh-season episode as “incorrect” and “almost lying” last weekend. Other drivers previously raised concerns about the liberties they believe Drive to Survive has taken with the truth.The programme makers use their exclusive access to teams in the paddock to offer a behind-the-scenes look at F1. The series’ executive producer James Gay-Rees insists they always strive to present viewers with a realistic version of events within the constraints of their 40-minute episodes.
“You have to get the essence of what you’re trying to get across,” he told The National. “It becomes an interpretation of what happened, but our ambition is always to tell an authentic story.”
Since its debut in 2019, Drive to Survive has made unlikely stars out of some of the paddock’s less well-known figures, particularly the team principals. Gay-Rees described it as “an extremely bitchy world.”
“That’s why it’s such a great place to make a show. There are heroes and villains. People are out to win at any price and will do whatever it takes.
“It’s a very fertile precinct in which to make a series because it’s so contained. The characters don’t change. It’s dangerous and political and scandalous and gossipy. Those are the key ingredients.”
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However the series has been dogged by allegations of inaccuracy since its first season. Max Verstappen was so unhappy with his depiction that he refused to co-operate with the series’ producers on some later seasons. He has since returned, but seldom figures prominently in it, and has his own content deal with broadcaster Viaplay. Other drivers have also objected to how Drive to Survive portrayed them.
The series has been credited for contributing to F1’s rising popularity in recent years. Gay-Rees said F1 was previously “being described, somewhat unfairly, as being a bit male, pale and stale.”
“It just wasn’t very cool,” he said. “It had been in the past, but it wasn’t going through one of its more sexy cycles, for want of a better expression.”
Female viewers are a significant part of F1’s new audience, which Gay-Rees says is no surprise to him. “You’ve got sexy young men driving sports cars and risking their lives. I mean, it’s a pretty basic sort of equation for success. My 18-year-old daughter didn’t even know how to spell ‘Formula 1’ two years ago. Now she’s obsessed. It’s brilliant.”
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S Arkazam
18th March 2025, 8:47
I wonder how she, at the age of 16, thought it was spelt.
MichaelN
18th March 2025, 15:15
Vohrmoelha won? Who knows with schools the days.
I never quite get why people think it’s fun to hold their mom/wife/whatever up as an example of the base level of intelligence. “Even my mom understands!” and all that jazz. Great idea to mock your daughter in front of a global audience.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
19th March 2025, 20:38
If she’d never had reason to care about how to spell it, she might not have knowingly seen it to be sure whether it was spelt as per the dictionary, or had some kewl mispelling.
As for using her as an example, it’s not about baseline intelligence. It’s the technique of using personal anecdote to make a point. Of course, in this case it’s somewhat more difficult to know whether it’s the power of sport, the power of social media narrative – or the power of a close relative obviously having fun participating in the project.
Dex
18th March 2025, 9:08
It’s fake of course, but there is very little original content anyway. It’s mostly just boring replays of races we’ve seen, but presented with false drama. 10 episodes, and I’ve learnt nothing new, except maybe a gossip or two. This is not a documentary. They follow exactly the same pattern every year. It’s so fake that some people, like certain team principals and other staff, simply use it for their mind games and sending messages.
I watched through it (it took me many days), but I was so, so bored, and often annoyed. Perhaps someone else should try doing this?
Jere (@jerejj)
18th March 2025, 10:57
I couldn’t agree more, although I always watch through all ten episodes within release day as I tend to skip all the race footage & only focus on the off-track footage, which is previously unseen for the most part.
Red Pill (@redpill)
18th March 2025, 11:12
You mean you watched 10 episodes of DTS! No thank you, the first 10 mins alone was enough, it’s 10 mins I’ll never get back; let alone days! I’ve been a huge motorsport fan for 40 years, I watch everything of racing but DTS is unbearable.
It was very disappointing and has low creative value, the editorial direction they decided to take is embarrassingly bad/cheap; it’s like a bad sitcom that is so bad, it almost makes you laugh.
Even DWTS has more way more value, is more sporting and is more real, and way more watchable, and I hate watching dancing. What a bummer
Cranberry
18th March 2025, 9:10
“Fakery” is describing it mildly…
I absolutely loathe the way they attempt to make the practice sessions as some sort of competitive event.
Drive to Survive is Formula 1, as seen through the perverted lens of a fanatical “Jerry Springer/Mory”-show enjoyer.
Red Pill (@redpill)
18th March 2025, 11:29
James Gay-Rees should be embarrassed even trying to say the words “authenticity” & “DTS” in the same sentence with a straight face.
And yes, his quotes in the above article sound like he’s going after the Jerry Springer/Maury crowd and metaility. It’s cheap and poorly executed. At least Jerry Springer and Maury were able to do the same thing without any kind of budget. What is James Gay-Rees’s excuse?
Ferdi
18th March 2025, 9:11
DTS serves as a perfect warning example to the whole world. It shows what media are doing out of own financial interest to influence public opinion on matters and how easily they can fool masses into fake news.
S Arkazam
18th March 2025, 9:54
I’m surprised that people are only now waking up to how docu series and reality tv work.
When you know what to expect it is (I find it) interesting, easy to consume, entertainment.
Certainly preferable over the last instalment of Mission Impossible IMO.
Red Andy (@red-andy)
18th March 2025, 9:38
I initially thought he had given the interview to the Scottish newspaper The National, rather than the UAE newspaper of the same name, which would have been an ironic place to defend yourself against allegations of editorial inaccuracy.
Jungle
18th March 2025, 10:16
Have watched them all. There are a few cringe moments, particularly Steiner playing the village idiot. Struggled to get through season 6 mostly but have to say I was quite intrigued with some of the content of last season.
Luke S (@joeypropane)
18th March 2025, 10:36
“My 18-year-old daughter didn’t even know how to spell ‘Formula 1’ two years ago. Now she’s obsessed. It’s brilliant.”
I’m hoping this came out wrong, because otherwise he’s got bigger issues to solve with his kids… I have never and will never watch the Tour de France, but I can still spell it.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
19th March 2025, 5:55
I think there’s something that might have been misinterpreted, for example to say she didn’t even know what f1 was 2 years ago makes more sense, as it became more popular these years, also thanks to drive to survive.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
19th March 2025, 20:41
@joeypropane Pretty sure it was intended to be a deployment of the “personal anecdote” technique, of using people one knows well to support a point one is making about how something is affecting people.
Jere (@jerejj)
18th March 2025, 10:58
How surprising that driver feedback or criticism regarding the way DTS is done always gets effectively ignored.
Red Pill (@redpill)
18th March 2025, 23:17
Here are some recent Lando quotes in a BBC article about DTS:
“They need to show the truth about people more,” said Norris, who claimed pole position in Australia for the opening race of the 2025 campaign.
“I’m not a fan of fake stuff. I want facts. I don’t want made-up scripts and fabricated nonsense, which there is.”
“It is almost lying in some ways, and I just don’t think that’s correct. They just jumble up the whole thing and they don’t care when they put it in.
“Maybe it needs to be more of a documentary of the season, more than a show like they’re trying to do. It has drifted too far away.”
Ideals (@ideals)
18th March 2025, 11:07
I mean, it’s semantics. DtS uses selective editing, deliberate framing (in that they take quotes and events out of context to make them relate to other events and timeframes), and as a cherry on top aids their narratives with the fake commentary track over the action to make it seem like their narrative is how the events are perceived. It’s shocking how little you hear Sky or F1TV’s actual commentary on there and how often they have to use the fake commentary to compliment the storyline they’re trying to portray.
So yeah, technically they’re using real footage, real interviews, but it’s quite obvious they script narratives that are only loosely based on reality. It’s not a pure documentary as it stands. So yeah, it conforms to “reality tv” but I don’t think it’s “reality” by any definition.
bosyber (@bosyber)
18th March 2025, 12:06
I think that most probably this is an accurate description of most ‘reality’ TV though. Well said.
Coventry Climax
18th March 2025, 11:24
That’s a claim anyone in marketing would make, but it’s about as genuine as Shell’s Motor Oil claim of old: “With SMO”.
Millions of people never realised SMO simply is the abbreviation of Shell Motor Oil.
Coventry Climax
18th March 2025, 11:31
edit:
“DTS, with authentic DTS footage and narrative”.
Hope that clears up what I was trying to say.
matt90
18th March 2025, 11:25
I liked how in DTS Russell won Spa with no issues whatsoever.
Jere (@jerejj)
18th March 2025, 11:56
I also liked the total absence of disqualification reference.
Alesici
18th March 2025, 12:08
Now that really was a crime. I mean, surely that is a dramatic story. It’s not as if it’s difficult for anyone to understand. And it ultimately gave Russell an advantage, places a question over whether he would have won if his car had been legal.
Anyway, I’m sure that DTS’s stories are absolutely just as authentic as the future benchmark for authenticity – the F1 movie.
Lastly, I do recommend everyone watches the 1993 BBC documentary, “The Team – A Season with Mclaren”, to see how it should be done. There are various copies on Youtube.
Jere (@jerejj)
18th March 2025, 14:24
Alesici Good points, but as the difference was only 2 kg, I’m sure he would’ve won on the road even with a fully legal car.
Optimaximal (@optimaximal)
19th March 2025, 11:08
@jerejj it’s widely suspected he wouldn’t, because his victory hinged on the fact he did one pit-stop less than everyone else.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
19th March 2025, 20:44
Alecsi, I am sure DTS is more authentic than the F1 movie, in that DTS is at least trying for broad-strokes accuracy (for example, the people involved generally have their jobs described correctly, and there are some limits on what gets put onto B-roll for the sake of authenticity).
MazdaChris (@mazdachris)
18th March 2025, 14:43
Noteworthy as well was the complete lack of any mention of Adrian Newey leaving Red Bull in the wake of the scandal around Horner. Obviously a conscious decision on the part of the producers, since it was one of the most talked-about stories of 2024. We can only speculate on why they took this decision. So I will.
Probably boils down to two main factors
1 – Newey is a quiet, thoughtful person who is unlikely to deliver a dramatic soundbite and, as far as I can remember, has never really spoken in any detail about his decision to leave the team (while there is clear evidence it was down to the scandal and how it was handled by RBR leading to a breakdown in that relationship)
2 – Most likely as a result of pressure both political and legal from RBR to have the entire episode portrayed as an open and shut case where there was an allegation and then an investigation, with Horner being cleared of any wrongdoing. The End.
BenjaminS (@benihana)
18th March 2025, 11:46
“It becomes an interpretation of what happened,…”
Interpreted with 10 sec sound bites that have nothing to do with F1. With the lack of concentration among the young and some old this show is like a big Tiktok video people can snack on and see the 2024 season interpreted by some guy no one knows exists. Yeah, have not watched it and do not miss it.
MichaelN
18th March 2025, 15:29
It’s the natural consequence of pretending everything is an opinion. Every media has some biases, but the vast majority has nevertheless tried to commentate on reality, or contextualize events in a broader view of the world. But over the past decades its become very profitable indeed to “interpret” events and essentially flat out lie. Especially among certain parts of society. Unfortunately with pretty serious consequences.
Even his comment that there are heroes and villains is such a juvenile take. Everyone involved is trying their best, to do the best for their teams. It encourages a very hostile, almost tribal, environment among fans. Which isn’t fun for anyone except the people pulling the strings to keep the drama going.
Tony Mansell (@tonymansell)
18th March 2025, 18:23
Heroes and villains is the only time sport climbs off the back pages. Dont be so naïve, its always been thus
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
19th March 2025, 20:46
@tonymansell And serious crashes and interactions with politics.
Jim from US (@jimfromus)
18th March 2025, 12:46
I watched the first season of it. No thanks. I found myself saying, this or that didn’t happen that way. The clips are real. The order in which the reality is presented is at least 80% fiction.
Jazz (@jazz)
18th March 2025, 13:39
I really only enjoyed the first ep watching Horny get in the Rangie with Annoying Spice not knowing his world was about to crash. And then watching him squirm in the interviews after the WhatsApp leaks. I actually began to feel sorry for him as the media storm was brutal. But then I went and read the messages on the Google doc and got reminded he deserved every second of the slaughter. Spanx and Coco Pops. Honestly!!
Mark Tucker
18th March 2025, 14:18
It has to be fake. You think youd get this sort of viewing figures if you had an hour of Drivers talking to their engineers about whether they want the front ride height set at 20mm or at 20.2mm
Tony Mansell (@tonymansell)
18th March 2025, 18:22
+1.
MichaelN
18th March 2025, 19:03
While this is certainly true, and even on the F1 YouTube channel the technical videos get only a fraction of the views the others do, I suppose that even though most people know now what Drive to Survive is and what it isn’t, there’s still a lingering disappointment among a portion of viewers that it’s not more like Alonso’s “My Last Race for Ferrari” or similar one-offs.
I do wonder how people who get interested in F1 through this series feel about actually watching the races. And whether or not they stick around long term. Then again, I doubt the sponsors care all that much how their logo’s are plastered over someone’s screen; if Netflix has found an additional market of people who follow Drive to Survive but don’t tune in for the races it’s no loss. They’re still seeing the ads either way.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
19th March 2025, 20:49
MichaelN, some of them stick around long-term and watch every race (or as many as possible).
Some stick around but skip some races.
Some follow the social media. I have seen quite a few people enter through Drive to Survive and studiously avoid the entire season’s racing, either because they have no true interest in sport (they stayed for the drama) or because after various events from 2021 onwards, they don’t consider F1 to qualify as a sport (and thus regard DTS as enough time spent on the alleged sporting aspects).
Bob C
18th March 2025, 14:29
It is my goal to lose 20 pounds, get in shape, and put a cool million in my savings account.
Whether I actually choose to pursue said goal (much less achieve it) may be another matter all together.
StefMeister (@stefmeister)
18th March 2025, 14:36
I think anyone that actually watches each weekend, follows the stories through the season & has an actual understanding of the sport & what goes on in it will know exactly how ‘authentic’ DTS & the stories they push in each season are.
I watched the first season & the first 2 episodes of season 2 & haven’t watched anymore since as it’s just not what I was hoping the series would be.
It’s a shame because I was actually quite excited for it when it was announced as they were selling it as more of a documentary that was going to tell the real story of the season & be something that the more dedicated fans like me would enjoy because of how behind the scenes they were going to get.
But i just hate all the ‘fakery’ in terms of all the stuff that I can see through and know that isn’t how certain scenarios played out which is why it’s something I just don’t bother with now.
And maybe this is me just putting blame on DTS when there are also other factors that have led to this but it just feels to me that the introduction of DTS & the way they twist certain narratives for drama & have presented conflict has just led to more division & vitriol amongst the fanbase….. especially between the longer time fans who understand whats really going on & understand the sport and some of the newer fans who don’t have that same understanding and are coming at it based on how DTS has presented it.
It just feels like things have gotten very tribal and that’s been a change i’ve not enjoyed seeing & again maybe thats more down to DTS or maybe it isn’t but it just felt to me like that came along with the DTS boom.
JoshAtTwo
18th March 2025, 18:06
I’m surprised. I was expecting a corporate shill to admit that the obviously over-dramatised show he produces is inauthentic. What next? Max Verstappen denying any responsibility for anything he does? SkyF1 pundits calling the drivers ‘gladiators’, and use ‘the pinnacle of motorsport’ at least 20 times in each broadcast? Craziness. Cats sleeping with dogs.
Riccard
18th March 2025, 18:17
The thing about reality TV is that its goal is to tell a story that feels authentic… and that’s more important to the show than describing events in a way that is authentic.
Most reality TV tells stories about real people that are inspired by real events, and Drive to Survive is part of that same family alongside Made in Chelsea or The Kardashians.
Tony Mansell (@tonymansell)
18th March 2025, 18:21
A lot of people getting hot under the collar. Its done its job, brought a new audience. I cant imagine anything but a real time dismantling of the mechanical aspects of a car, Hayes styl,e would suit a lot of old timers. Dont like, dont watch.
Tony Mansell (@tonymansell)
18th March 2025, 18:25
Having said that, if they had done one 50 years ago when say Jackie Stewart was racing AND being controversial, we would now watch how it had broadcast that, as fact…..hmmm
thefncrow
18th March 2025, 21:23
The thing, though, is it doesn’t need to be dry like that. Drive to Survive ignores good stories that are real and provable because they’re not the storylines they’d prefer.
My prime example in this whole regard is last season, their Ferrari episode, where the whole episode was about, Ferrari needs to come together as a team, and they’re flailing about because they’re not doing that. And their capper to that is “and then in Singapore they do that and Sainz wins!” Meanwhile, the real story of that race is that Sainz was under pressure and in big trouble late in the race and took his race strategy into his own hands with his whole gambit of keeping Lando in DRS range even while it was clear his own pit wall didn’t realize what he was doing, which is an incredible story of its own and would play out great… but it fully contradicts the wider story they wanted to tell about “Ferrari pulled together and worked as a team and saw success for it”.
There are quality stories they could tell that mesh fully with the reality of the season. But they like their own stories better, and would rather try to cobble something unreal out of footage and fake commentary than accept the quality stuff served up to them on a silver platter that doesn’t require the fakery.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
19th March 2025, 20:53
@tonymansell Some of the newer fans would go for such a deconstruction, done slow-TV style. Have a couple of technical people with relaxing voices sit by the fire and explain each major component’s basic function (also some minor components for variety and to extend time) over a dozen hours. Or even a voiceover of a team deconstructing and reconstructing an old F1 car live (perhaps with multiple shifts of staff so there is no break in the pattern of gentle movements).
PeteB (@peteb)
18th March 2025, 18:47
Authenticity is it’s goal in the same way that Sauber’s goal is to win the WCC. They’re both equally as far away from achieving it.
Moshambles (@moshambles)
18th March 2025, 18:58
For me, the novelty of the show wore off somewhere around the second season, and I haven’t paid much attention since. I have to say though, that some of the “fakery” comes straight from the drivers themselves, Lando.