Fans rejoiced when it was announced that Max Verstappen had agreed to feature on season 5 of Netflix’s Drive To Survive. He was featured in the trailer of the most recent edition of F1’s viral docuseries, making his comeback official.
The defending champion previously decided to boycott the show. The 2x world champion found differences with the narration and over-dramatization of the on-track rivalries.
The return of the Dutchman has fared well for the series. However, it took some serious convincing from Netflix to bring the Red Bull driver back on the hot seat.
Guenther Steiner reveals a major condition of teams
Being the defending world champion, it was critical for Drive To Survive to bring Max Verstappen back on the show. Verstappen only agreed to feature if certain assurances were made.
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner revealed to Business F1 that each team had editing rights this season. Every F1 team’s PR department was free to object if their drivers were shown in a bad light.
The Red Bull driver is known for setting his terms straight. Thus, it is possible that the Dutchman was given veto rights by his team or Netflix in order to feature in the show.
Excitement levels: 💯
Drive To Survive, Season 5 is almost here… pic.twitter.com/bgXqfgqIPr
— Formula 1 (@F1) February 16, 2023
The 2x World champion had previously stated, “I spoke with them of course before I was going to give an interview. I knew that being a world champion, it’s important for me to be part of it.”
The 2x champion claims to have given 30 minutes to an hour’s worth of material. He claims he is happy to be a part of the show and improve the sport’s popularity, as long as it does not fabricate the storyline for dramatic purposes.
Why did Max Verstappen boycott Drive To Survive?
Max Verstappen was not a part of Season 4 of Drive to Survive. The Dutchman decided to not be a part of the season depicting his maiden title win over concerns about the show’s over-dramatization.
The Dutchman claims the show faked rivalries and showed drivers in the wrong light. He said in an interview,“They faked a few rivalries which they don’t really exist. So I decided to not be a part of it and did not give any more interviews.”
Keeping up with the Kardashians ❌
Keeping up with the F1 team principals ✅ #DriveToSurvive5
pic.twitter.com/PqkqN4eAFE— ahmed baokbah 🇸🇦🏎✈️ (@ahmed_baokbah) February 25, 2023
Verstappen argued, “I am not really a dramatic show kind of person, I just want facts and real things to happen.” Other F1 drivers like McLaren’s Lando Norris have objected to the series for the same.
Drive To Survive follows teams and drivers over the course of an F1 season, showing the reality of what happens behind the scenes in the sport. The show has been a massive success in boosting the popularity of F1. Especially in the US, which is now the sport’s biggest market.
