Season 5 of Formula 1: Drive To Survive gets a tune-up

Sometimes sports documentaries appeal to audiences outside of particular fandom. Formula 1: Drive to Survive, Netflix's 2019 Formula One World Championship docuseries, has garnered critical acclaim and public buzz in its first four seasons.

Formula 1: Drive to Survive's 2022 season overhauls some of the show's most criticized components while still providing a thorough, nuanced look at the action on and off the track. That includes Formula 1 drivers, teams, and management. The latest Drive to Survive episodes are as interesting and informative for newbies as they are for longtime fans.

Photo Credit: AS USA-Diario

Returning king

Max Verstappen's return to Drive to Survive in the fifth season is one of the greatest changes. Red Bull's top driver and one of the sport's biggest stars, Verstappen, boycotted many seasons of Drive to Survive owing to objections over Netflix's portrayal of drivers' relationships and race events. Verstappen avoided interviews and was primarily a background figure in the program up to this point, leaving fans without the story of his rise to the top of the sport these last few years. Season 5 features Verstappen for most of its 10 episodes, adding the sport's reigning champion's perspective to the show. His Netflix interviews are always entertaining and enlightening. His presence fills a need that casual viewers may not have noticed yet enriches the series.

Reduced friction, friendlier

Due to the deal that brought Verstappen to the show, season 5 of Drive to Survive also focuses less time on driver feuds and more on the sport's wider picture and team rivalries.Photo Credit: Dan Mullan/Getty Images Netflix still finds plenty of drama as teams battled with a plethora of new rules and car requirements for the 2022 season, and several racers found themselves one again fighting for their futures. Drive to Survive shines when it follows veteran drivers trying to stay competitive late in their careers or young drivers learning to succeed or fail in Formula 1. Drive to Survive has done a terrific job of making the drivers and team principals' stories fascinating regardless of your level of knowledge with the sport. By focusing on the characters rather than the drama, season 5 seems more satisfying and makes everyone's tales more personal.

Victorious lap

Drive to Survive's accessibility from season to season is a credit to the producers and creative team's planning. Drive to Survive has maintained its mass appeal across all five seasons, while also providing new content for loyal fans. Viewers don't need to know anything about automobiles, racing, engineering, or business to fall in love with the series. Verstappen's participation and the series' drama and interesting stories make the latest season the finest ever. Photo Credit: Netflix Formula 1: Drive to Survive, Netflix's best sports documentary series in recent years and still in production, continues to win awards. Drive to Survive leaves the garage a better-tuned, higher-performing storytelling vehicle, and it seems like it has plenty more track ahead of it. Netflix broadcasts Season 5 of Formula 1: Drive to Survive on February 24, 2023.