Ever since Drive to Survive aired back in 2019, the Pinnacle of Motorsport has seen a historic rise in viewership numbers, which has resulted in the show coming back every year with more drama than ever to please fans. However, the Netflix show has come under criticism from the drivers for inaccurately portraying the reality to favor a more exciting narrative, with drivers like Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen calling them out.

Although the drivers have been vocal about their issues with the direction of the show, the buzz it creates for Liberty Media is enough for ‘Drive to Survive’ to return for a sixth season! But with 23 races littered across the calendar, the pressure on the drivers and team is higher than ever. Owing to this, Fernando Alonso joined Max Verstappen to give a harsh reality check to the Netflix show.

Netflix’s Drive to Survive makes Max Verstappen ‘wish social media never existed’

During the 2023 Brazilian GP post-race press conference, Rodrigo Franca from Car Magazine had an interesting question about the Drive to Survive series to ask the podium finishers, “We’re heading to Las Vegas, the third race in the US. Of course, Liberty Media turns some of Americans’ emotions to Formula 1. Do you drivers like it, the behind-the-scenes stories that Netflix and everything, or are you just focused on the driving part?”

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This prompted Max Verstappen to chuckle and blatantly sideline the Netflix show! The three-time champion ranted, “No. No. I don’t know, probably I’m a bit more old school in that. I wish social media never existed.” – sending silence across the room, he added, “Freedom of speech, right?” – Max Verstappen has become the target of many questions regarding both the Sprint Race format and the Drive to Survive series, expressing his disapproval at every turn.

He even refused to participate in earlier seasons owing to the dramatic flair that was sprinkled on top of how things truly unfolded. And his statements were echoed by Fernando Alonso, who had slotted his AMR23 to the third step of the podium, after a brilliant battle with Sergio Perez. The two-time champion added to Verstappen’s dismissal, “Yeah. I’m very focused on the racing and not on this show. I never saw any of this Drive to Survive, even Season 1 or whatever, I never saw any episode. Did you?” 

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It’s safe to say that the Champions of the sport have reached the pinnacle due to their focus on the track, pointing out the additional pressure that the media duties that come with the Netflix Show entail for the driver’s performance where it matters most. However, Fernando Alonso wasn’t done, further silencing the supporters of the series once and for all in a manner that’s only suitable for the F1 veteran.

Fernando Alonso reflects on his ‘drive to survive’ on Saturday

Alonso’s comment on not watching a single episode prompted Verstappen to poke at the show’s title, asking the Spaniard, “Do you drive to survive? I drive to have fun.” – If there’s anyone who doesn’t fit the F1 show’s monicker, it’s Max Verstappen. The Dutch Lion surpassed Ascari’s long-standing record for the highest win percentage in a single season. But for Fernando Alonso, it’s been a different story.

The Sprint shootout turned tragic for Alonso after Esteban Ocon collided with the Spaniard, even blaming Alonso for the incident when he was in no way the culprit. Alonso hilariously pointed this out, “On Saturdays, yes,” – sending the whole conference chuckling with laughter. The two-time champion’s tone took a serious turn though, pointing out the flaws with the concept’s implementation.

“We go there, we race, even sometimes the parade laps or presentations and things like that, they are not always in our dream preparation before the race. So we try to balance. We know it’s important for the sport but I think drivers, teams, even for you guys in the media it’s a very long season, a lot of travelling and we just go for racing, this is what we love but the outside package is sometimes a little bit too much but we understand it.” In the most classy way possible, Fernando Alonso voiced his concerns with the toll the show’s filming takes on the drivers and teams, given the action-packed season we have had this year.

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Whilst the ambassadors of the sport are keen on supporting Formula 1’s best interests, it goes without saying that the creators of Drive to Survive need to consult Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso for some championship-winning advice!