Netflix's 'Drive to Survive' ratings crashing after uncompetitive F1 season
Is the decline in ratings for "Drive to Survive," Netflix's groundbreaking Formula One documentary series, a sign of trouble for the auto racing circuit?
Season 6, released a week ago, saw a precipitous 30% drop (h/t: SI.com) in viewers from season 5. To make matters worse, the viewers who did show up watched less of the show — season 6 saw a 15% drop in viewed hours from season 5 and a 22% drop from season 4, per racefans.net.
"Drive to Survive" launched in 2019 to rave reviews from fans and critics alike. The show offers a behind-the-scenes view into the F1 paddock and features exclusive interviews with drivers, team principals and F1 journalists.
It quickly became one of Netflix's most celebrated sports programs, drawing millions of viewers and increasing F1's popularity across the United States. Fans of the show became fans of the sport, and networks such as ESPN reported increased viewership numbers as a direct result of "Drive to Survive."
"What I've noticed lately is pretty much everywhere I go in different parts of the world, I can see the popularity of the sport growing so much," Red Bull driver Sergio Perez said last year. "It's great for F1 to finally make it in the U. S. market."
"Drive to Survive" may be a victim of its own success. The millions of American fans who came to F1 through the show may now view it as a reality show of manufactured drama rather than a must-watch companion to the season.
The F1's uncompetitive 2023 season, in which 21 of 22 races were won by Red Bull, also may have turned off viewers who came for intense competition.
"Drive to Survive" lost some of its most beloved characters leading into 2024. Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo started the season as a reserve option at Red Bull before rejoining the grid in the summer, while foul-mouthed Haas team principal Guenther Steiner left his post at the end of the season.
With three U.S. races — Miami, Austin and Las Vegas — on the F1 calendar for the foreseeable future, the circuit is invested in America. If "Drive to Survive" ratings continue to plunge, however, the sport must find new ways to engage with the American audience to justify F1's continued investment in the U.S.
The 2024 F1 season begins with the Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday.
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