Latest Episode | Cut To The Race Podcast
Netflix returned to the Formula One paddock for a third year in 2020, to produce season three of the much anticipated “Drive to Survive” docu-series, due to be aired on 19th March.
The ten episode series has been very popular and has attracted new fans to the sport. Netflix have been clever in making the behind the scenes footage seem “Hollywood” but we really don’t care, each series gets better and better.
So what can we expect from the long awaited third season?
Obviously the global pandemic has a big part to play, not only on how the series was filmed, but how the season was played out. Netflix have captured this well, with the first episode focusing on pre-season and the cancellation of the Australian Grand Prix.
Former Red Bull driver Alex Albon, who was spectacularly dropped from the team at the back end of last year in favour of Sergio Perez, is followed in the second episode, filmed at Spielberg for the Austrian Grand Prix. This is a journey that is followed throughout the season, as Red Bull closely monitor the young driver’s results.
Mercedes also have their own episode which focuses mainly on Valtteri Bottas and his hopes of beating his team mate, Lewis Hamilton for the championship title. It was filmed at Sochi, where the Finn was able to capitalise on a penalty handed to Hamilton. Netflix also capture the “Black Lives Matter” movement which the seven time world champion fought to raise awareness of in the sport last year.
We also get to see the tension between Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari, in an episode dedicated to the Scuderia. It showcases the true goings on in regards to Ferrari’s terrible season, and the aftermath of the shock announcement that Vettel was dropped from the team.
We also see the reaction to Daniel Ricciardo’s departure from Renault to McLaren and how that affected then team boss Cyril Abiteboul, as well as the tension at Racing Point with discussions brewing over the future of Sergio Perez. We also see the reaction to the announcement that Carlos Sainz will be leaving McLaren and joining Ferrari in 2021.
One episode is dedicated to Pierre Gasly and his incredible win at Monza last year. The story of his demotion to Red Bull sister team Alpha Tauri was told in season 2, but this season we are also given a look at Christian Horner’s reaction to speculation that Gasly could make a return to Red Bull.
Guenther Steiner became a bit of a legend in previous seasons of “Drive to Survive” and this year he has an episode all to himself to discuss the decision to drop Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen from Haas and replace them with two rookies. Mick Schumacher was confirmed at the time of filming.
The longest episode will focus on the Sakhir Grand Prix and the Bahrain Grand Prix. It was at the Sakhir GP that cemented a top drive at Red Bull for Sergio Perez after his maiden F1 win. The Bahrain Grand Prix marked the end of Romain Grosjean’s F1 career, as the Frenchman was involved in a horrific crash which ended with Grosjean suffering horrible burns to his hands.
Some drivers such as Williams driver Nicholas Latifi, former Alpha Tauri driver Daniil Kvyat and Red Bull supremo Max Verstappen do not feature much. The Dutchman has criticised the series in recent months, calling it “fake and too glamourous”, so we wonder if that is the reason he has not been involved too much.
Image Credit: Netflix.com
Source: Formula One