Drive to Survive (DTS) has been one of the main mediums through which new fans have flocked over to F1. However, despite having such enriching effects on the sport, the Netflix docu-series has had its fair share of criticisms. Purist fans often slam the show for its overhyped and occasionally fake narratives. Moreover, now even Sebastian Vettel has joined this list of critics despite having retired from F1 in 2022. While the German driver is enjoying his life away from the sport, he claims DTS is unrealistic after watching just one episode of the show.
In an interview with NZZ, Vettel said (as quoted by Junaid on Twitter), “I found it a bit strange because it was so unrealistic. But of course, I understand that it has brought a lot of attention to motorsport and a new audience. That’s not possible with hours of explanations about how to adjust a damper.”
The four-time champion understands that delving too much into the technical aspects of F1 won’t attract new audiences. So, he understands the drama in DTS is essential to bring new fans to the sport. When asked about whether his children watch DTS, the German denied it and cited, “They haven’t asked about it yet.”
Vettel understands that the drama and the hype Netflix brings to people’s screens via DTS intrigues them about the sport. So, it is a great marketing tool for F1 to attract new fans and that has happened with American audiences increasing significantly since the show was first released in 2019. However, Vettel prefers to learn about F1’s latest aspects by picking up his phone rather than the remote control.
Ever since Vettel retired, the one thing that fans have been keen to know about is whether he will ever return to F1. With Lewis Hamilton leaving Mercedes for Ferrari in 2025, several fans have raised speculations about how Vettel could take the Briton’s vacant spot at the Silver Arrows.
Sebastian Vettel speaks about return possibility amid Hamilton-Mercedes parting
Although Sebastian Vettel has not been willing to come back to racing, let alone F1 which has a grueling 24-race calendar now; he is not totally averse to the idea. Speaking to Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung, he said, “At the moment, however, I’m doing very well without driving F1. There’s no definite no, but there’s no definite yes either.”
Vettel feels he needs to sort himself out mentally after the final few years of his career at Ferrari and Aston Martin went dry in terms of wins and championships. He also said previously that he would only look to make an F1 comeback with the right kind of opportunity.
While Vettel may not be very keen to return, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff still believes that the four-time champion has the pace to perform at the highest level. Wolff said, “Sebastian is a great guy and a giant of this sport. I think he still has the speed.”
Wolff stated that after three or four races this season, they will have to decide whether to look at younger or experienced options to replace the outgoing Hamilton. If they choose the latter route, Vettel can be one of the names besides Fernando Alonso. But on a realistic note, Vettel wishing to come back would require a lot of convincing on Wolff’s part.
