“Our Sport Got Lucky”: Nico Rosberg Argues How Netflix Saved Formula 1

Netflix has proven to be nothing short of a revolution for F1. Ever since the advent of Drive to Survive, the yearly docuseries, the sport has garnered audiences all around the globe. Nico Rosberg recently discussed the impact it had on F1. The 2016 world champion doesn’t just laud Netflix for helping bring several new fans but also for saving the sport from a possible slump.

Speaking on the Business of Sport podcast, Rosberg said, “I think they got very lucky, that our sport got lucky because they did a good job with it and they managed to find characters that were just so open. It was like a reality TV series.” He added, “Now in the US, and of course in Europe, F1 is so big. Everybody is a Formula 1 fan.”

F1 was going through a stagnant phase when it came to viewership before Liberty Media bought the commercial rights. The American media giant introduced a slew of changes to the way they broadcast the sport. An active presence on social media was another noticeable change. The biggest, however, was giving Netflix access to behind-the-scenes action.

Drive to Survive also puts drivers and other important F1 entities at the forefront of their coverage. This has helped fans connect with them and the sport at a more personal level.

While Nico Rosberg highlights that it gives the docuseries more of a reality show feel, it is one of the factors responsible for its popularity. Despite all the praise, Rosberg hasn’t made an appearance on the show yet.

Nico Rosberg divided on whether he would have featured on DTS in his time

Drive to Survive aired its first season in 2019. Nico Rosberg, however, bid adieu to the sport right after winning his 2016 world championship. But would he feature in the docuseries if they filmed while he was still active?

The same is unlikely as Rosberg discussed about being ultra-focused on the job while he was a driver. The presence of Netflix cameras around him and interviews would have acted as a distraction.

He does, however, admit it wouldn’t have been easy to say no to. That is because of the perks that come with being associated with Netflix. He opined, “At the same time, I would have really wanted to do it because of the reach and power it generated.”

The Drive to Survive producers seeing all this F1 drama pic.twitter.com/ikKEz3HVia

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As of 2024, Drive to Survive has completed six seasons with a seventh in the making. There seems to be no reason in sight why Formula 1 would stop it anytime soon. Meanwhile, Netflix hasn’t shown any signs of pulling the plug on the series either.