(SPOT.ph) Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you would know that Formula 1 has been taking the world by storm—and its surge in popularity could be attributed to a streaming giant. After launching Drive To Survive in 2019, Netflix has helped boost the fanfare surrounding the sport; think of it as a far more digestible introduction to what was once known as a “rich old man’s sport.”
Drive To Survive has given fans an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the teams, drivers, and the paddock itself during select race weekends. However, the show has received backlash as it seemed to have been stirring drama to support the narrative that it has created (take the supposed rivalry and tension between the 2020 McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz). Dedicated fans have also noticed how some of the soundbites used were from different races which further proves how the series could not be an accurate retelling of the previous season. Its most recent season is currently scored at 15% on Rotten Tomatoes; a downfall from its predecessors.
But this isn’t to say that you should entirely skip on the series. It’s still pretty good as it gives you more insight on what goes on in the drivers’ minds and shows us what it’s like on the paddock; a view we wouldn’t get unless we avail of the paddock club privileges. Just make sure to take everything with a grain of salt and to complement it with watching the races itself.
If you’re looking for other shows to fill that F1 gap or if you just want an added entertainment fix revolving around the sport, here are some shows that you should watch.
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Has Netflix's Drive to Survive given you a need for speed? Check out these titles next:
Rush (Movie)
Where to stream: Netflix U.S. (accessible via VPN)
Niki Lauda and James Hunt—two of the most instantly recognizable names in motorsport during the '70s. In this 2013 biographical film, we are shown the rivalry between these two drivers particularly during the 1976 season which saw Lauda heavily injured and Hunt capping off the season with a win. It tells the story of how they met, how the season progressed for each driver, as well as the highs and lows that they went through in both their personal and professional lives.
Rush is a treat for racing fans, particularly for those who were alive during this era of the sport. And with brilliant performances from Daniel Bruhl as the stoic Lauda and Chris Hemsworth as the more easygoing (but no less troubled) Hunt, not to mention the speed, adrenaline rush, and drama that it showed make it all the more compelling.
Schumacher (Documentary)
Where to stream: Netflix
One of, if not the most instantly recognizable surnames in motorsport history, considered as the G.O.A.T by most fans and drivers, a Ferrari legend with 91 wins to his name, Michael Schumacher has established himself both within and beyond Formula 1. His name has become synonymous with speed and in spite of his fame, he was able to maintain a private life throughout the course of his career.
After suffering a near-fatal injury during a skiing accident in 2013, details of his condition were scarce and were kept mostly within the family and close confidants. This is why a lot of people were looking forward to the updates and exclusive interviews that the family would provide in this documentary.
We won’t go in-depth as to what was said but what we can guarantee is that this documentary will take you on a trip down memory lane. It would be even more emotional for the OG, early 2000s fans of the scuderia as the documentary also talked a lot about Michael’s journey with them.
Cars (Movie Series)
Where to stream: iTunes and Disney+ (accessible via VPN)
Hear us out! Now the movies in itself may not particularly revolve around F1 (it resembles NASCAR more), but ICYDK, several F1 stars have made cameos throughout the series.
Drivers such as Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, and Fernando Alonso have all had parts within the films. Some of them appear only on specific versions such as Fernando’s appearance in Cars 2 (which can be seen in the film’s Spanish version), but Michael and Lewis had their shining moments in Cars 1 and Cars 2 respectively.
Michael played a Ferrari version of himself that appeared at the end of the first film, visiting the tire shop of Italians Guido and Luigi. Meanwhile, Lewis played a McLaren version of himself (modeled after the MP4-12C GT3) in Cars 2. On the third installment, Lewis, Seb, and Fernando lent their voices to a car assistant (with Seb voicing for the film’s German and Italian edition, and Fernando for the Spanish edition). Check it out here.
A Life of Speed: The Juan Manuel Fangio Story (Documentary)
Where to stream: Netflix
For newer fans of the sport, Fangio may not be a familiar name, but the case would be different for die-hard petrolheads. Fangio was a dominant force to be reckoned with in the beginning of the sport, having won five world championships with four different constructors.
Alongside interviews, the documentary details his journey of winning those championships, giving a glimpse into his life and how he came into the sport, and showing us how he became one of the sport’s first legends in the 1950s.
Ford V Ferrari (Movie)
Where to stream: iTunes
And of course, this list would not be complete without the movie that kicked off this writer's obsession with motorsport: Ford V Ferrari.
Ford V Ferrari (distributed in Europe as Le Mans ‘66) recounts the story of how Ken Miles and Carroll Shelby brought Ford to motorsport history by beating crowd favorite Ferrari in the 1996 24 Hours of Le Mans. Watch as Matt Damon and Christian Bale portray the struggles the two faced as newcomers and how Miles almost lost this shot to compete under the team.
What's best about this film has to be the adrenaline rush each racing scene packs, how realistic these scenes are in comparison to other racing films. To quote a popular line from the film, “There’s a point – 7000 RPM – where everything fades. When your seeing becomes weightless, just disappears. And all that’s left is a body moving through space and time. 7000 RPM that’s where you meet it. Can I ask you a question? The only question that matters. Who are you?”
It’s the perfect movie for those who want to explore other racing categories (as this is centered around the iconic Le Mans endurance race), as well as for massive fans of speed and racing.
this strange new world.