F1 fans have been given licence to get excited about seeing 'something different' when the latest Formula 1: Drive to Survive series airs on Netflix next month.
The fourth edition promises to be the most explosive yet, given the tempestuous title race between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen that ultimately went down to the final lap of the season at Abu Dhabi.
Netflix have pulled out all the stops to raise anticipation, firstly by paying big money to have the series advertised during half-time of Super Bowl LVI, and then by releasing an intriguing new trailer.
During the one minute video clip, Hamilton talks of "constant warfare" while his new Mercedes teammate, George Russell, says "the sport is cutthroat."
Along with the trailer, Netflix tweeted: “New drivers, new rivalries and an all new championship winner. Formula 1: Drive to Survive is back on 11 March!”
And now F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has further teased fans by hinting at changes from the previous format to help the series evolve.
"I think that what we have shown as Formula 1 has been always to be in front of the step change that everything has to happen," he was quoted as saying in The Independent .
“So I think that it’s important for us to be, with Drive to Survive, with our Netflix friends, up to the moment where we believe that will make a show that it’s a differentiating factor.
"If it is becoming just a different way to speak about Formula 1 without adding or giving to Formula 1 platform added value, maybe I think it’s better to renegotiate and see with Netflix or with the other partners what could be a possibility to do something different in the future.”
The series has been a hit with fans since it first aired in March 2019, winning widespread praise - and awards - for providing a different insight into the sport.
And Domenicali suggested the latest series was too good to be missed.
It’s no doubt that Drive to Survive has an incredible effect mainly on the new audiences and also in other new markets like US, for sure,” said the Italian.
“You have to stay tuned to the new series, because I’ve just had the possibility to see and it would be fantastic. And with the right tone and, as you can imagine with what has happened last year, there will be a lot of action on."
