Despite the surmounting rumors about its malicious and misleading content, Drive to Survive enjoys a certain degree of fame and respect among modern-day viewers. Fans have yet to find a fault with the Netflix series that’s serious enough to bring the show down for good. But the F1 docuseries continues to disappoint, like always.
In its latest run with Season 7, Drive to Survive not only leaves crucial and fantastic storylines out of the narrative but also misleads the viewers by omission of facts. Most of the season rides on a nostalgia high by using the many emotional farewells and new arrivals to its advantage while forgetting to factor in cases like George Russell’s worst humiliation of the season.
Drive to Survive ignores George Russell’s humiliation
Throughout the entirety of Drive to Survive Season 7, George Russell is shown in an alternating light of good and bad narratives. While the story starts off trying to paint him as a nuisance and a bully, by the end of the season, Russell comes off as a relatable and reliable member of the Formula 1 grid.
This indecision is all Netflix’s fault, however. The series has the authority to show the audience the whole story behind an incident but chooses not to for maximum dramatic effect. One of those omitted storylines is about Russell’s F1 win at Spa-Francorchamps.
Episode 3, titled Looking Out for Number 1, focuses on Lewis Hamilton‘s move to Ferrari and Toto Wolff questioning Russell’s ability to lead the team. The Mercedes team principal puts a lot of faith in his driver, has a heart-to-heart with him in the middle of the ocean, and sees him make a huge gamble that pays off with George Russell winning the Grand Prix.
However, what Drive to Survive does not document is Russell getting disqualified shortly after the race – a crucial detail that puts his position at Mercedes under a whole new light. The decision was announced after race stewards found his car to be 1.5 kg underweight than the allowed limit.
This makes George Russell the only driver other than Michael Schumacher to be disqualified from a Grand Prix after winning the race (via Autosport).
Drive to Survive misses out on important 2024 races
Drive to Survive milked the Charles Leclerc win in Monaco with a full episode storyline and focused on the misguided arc of best friends-turned-enemies with Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. However, it missed showing George Russell’s humiliating disqualification at Spa and Verstappen’s brilliant win at Interlagos in the São Paulo Grand Prix.
The 2024 Brazilian Grand Prix has to be one of the most interesting and unexpected races in recent F1 history. Starting off at P17, Max Verstappen sliced through the tracks under pouring rain to finish at P1 in an excellent show of skill and strategy.
However, Drive to Survive doesn’t relent and tells partial storylines to cause maximum drama for the audience. Season 7 had the potential to be beautifully crafted due to all the meteoric shifts, power dynamics, and monumental races throughout 2024, but the Netflix series keeps playing its cards wrong.
Drive to Survive Season 7 is currently streaming on Netflix.
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