New financial deal confirms Netflix has given F1 a game-changing boost

Popularity in F1 has exploded since Netflix launched the show that takes viewers behind the scenes in the fast-paced world of elite motor sport in 2019.

Now Series 5 of the series is set to launch, offering unprecedented access to life as an F1 driver with some of the sport’s biggest stars.

While Lewis Hamilton and world champion Max Verstappen may be the biggest names in the sport, this show takes viewers into the lives of some of the drivers and teams down the grid in F1.

Their stories are as compelling as those at the front of the pack and the series has clearly given F1 owners the promotion they needed to grow the sport.

Taking F1 to a younger audience who are ready to engage with a sport they may not have watched prior to the Netflix series, Drive To Survive has succeeded in breaking down barriers to the vast American audience.

Nascar and Indycar have always been the dominant motor racing sports in America, but F1 has broken through like never before on the back of the success of the Netflix series.

ESPN has enjoyed increasing ratings since it took over broadcasting F1 in 2018 moving from an average of 554,000 that year to 927,000 in 2021, with Drive to Survive believed to be the chief driver of that new audience.

It has also seen F1 chiefs cash in with bumper new TV deals, with reports suggesting the latest broadcast deal for F1 in America has risen from the $5million ESPN paid in 2019 to around $90million for the latest agreement.

“There is not a way to quantify if the Netflix series has contributed to the audience increases, but it’s all positive,” said John Suchenski, director of programming and acquisitions at ESPN.

“Having additional F1 content out there that reaches a wide and different audience helps increase awareness and interest, and hopefully incentivizes them to tune into the races. A rising tide lifts all boats.”

Guenther Steiner, the team principal of Haas F1 Team, also suggested Drive To Survive has taken F1 to a new level as he stated: “Data shows us well that this helped a lot [in] the American market

“It helped a lot to get people interested—not the avid fan, the guy who watches every race car race. This is different. This seems to be interesting, and then they start to watch and come to races.

"The series had a big impact and what I noticed is the people who recognize it are mainly young people, because the way they use TV is to watch Netflix.”

Drivers have also been given a huge boost by their Netflix exposure, with Aussie Daniel Ricciardo emerging as a star of the series and appearing on US chat shows on the back of his new American fame.

Seven-time world champion Hamilton believes Drive To Survive has changed the landscape for the sport in America, with two F1 races scheduled for the upcoming season in the States.

"We obviously had the race in Austin, Texas, which has always been amazing. The first race I had out here was Indianapolis in 2007," said Hamilton.

"Now, with Netflix Drive to Survive series growing, we have two Grand Prix in the States and we have another one in Las Vegas next year. It’s going to be huge.”

Netflix have also launched a new series entitled ‘Full Swing’ dedicated to the drama on golf’s PGA Tour and a tennis series entitled Break Point takes viewers behind the scenes in those two sports.

Now golf and tennis will be hoping to get the popularity and financial boost F1 has enjoyed in recent times.