Oscar Piastri Peeks Inside Netflix’s Drive to Survive Just to See He’s Not the ‘Next Supervillain’

McLaren's driver Oscar Piastri of Australia reacts during the press conference, after the sprint race of the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit

Drive to Survive has been one of the biggest factors behind F1’s growth in recent years. The Netflix docuseries has captured the lives of drivers, team members, and team principals behind the scenes, captivating audiences, attracting new fans, and elevating drivers to new heights of fame.

However, one of the downsides of Drive to Survive has been its storytelling. While it has made certain aspects of the sport more interesting, it has also created narratives that have negatively impacted some. Max Verstappen, for instance, ended up being portrayed as the ‘villain’ among newer fans because of how he was shown. Understandably, the Dutchman didn’t like it and chose to distance himself from the show for a long time as a result.

This has now become a common worry among drivers and others appearing in the series.

Even those who aren’t necessarily under fire from the fanbase are staying cautious, which is why Oscar Piastri decided to review the show—just to make sure he was in the clear.

Piastri, like some other stars of Drive to Survive, doesn’t usually watch the show. Perhaps, like Toto Wolff, he finds it “cringe” to see himself on camera. Regardless, the Aussie has started to skim through it.

“Now I basically watch, I skim through it and watch the parts I am in,” Piastri said last month on The Howie Games podcast by Australian presenter Mark Howard. “To see if they made me the next… freaking supervillain or actually okay.”

To be fair to Piastri, it was a genuine concern—not because he’s unlikeable, but because he’s locked in an intra-team battle with Lando Norris. The producers could easily have framed him as the antagonist to fit a storyline.

However, Piastri feels the show did a decent job portraying the situation.

“It’s a pretty fair reflection,” he added. “I think it’s entertaining but also… for the most part, is really accurate. I found it quite entertaining.”

That said, the battle between Norris and Piastri is just heating up as they emerge as the two main contenders in this year’s championship fight. So, in the next season of Drive to Survive, there’s a real chance Netflix could portray one of them as the supervillain.

Thankfully for Piastri, he has now become one of the most likable drivers on the grid. Norris, on the other hand—after confidently declaring himself a title contender—seems to be faltering, which has made him the subject of several jokes and criticism. Perhaps he’s the one who will end up being the villain? Only time will tell.

Post Edited By: Aishwary Gaonkar
Drive to Survive Oscar Piastri

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Somin Bhattacharjee

Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

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