Formula 1 drivers, even if they appear, are not keen on socializing outside of races or behind the scenes like on Netflix’s Drive to Survive.
The opening of F1 to the American market through the Netflix series Drive to Survive has increased the sport’s popularity, especially for drivers. Many drivers have become famous in this area.
While the growth of the sport is welcome, F1 drivers have not benefited much either. Traditionally, they always focus on the driving aspect. They are known to dislike excessive interaction with the media and sponsors.
But it’s part of their job, so they have to do it. In fact, people like Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, and Fernando Alonso don’t even watch the show, even though they appear on the show Drive to Survive and get a lot of buzz.
Here’s what they say about the outdoor racing aspect –
Max Verstappen: “No. No, I don’t know, maybe I’m a little older. I wish social media didn’t exist. Freedom of expression, right? To survive. Do you drive a car? I drive for fun.”
Fernando Alonso: “Yes, I am very focused on the race and not on this show. I have not seen anything from Drive to Survive, like season 1. I haven’t even seen an episode yet.Do you have one?Yes, I can on Saturday. We go there and sometimes we do parade laps and presentations and things like that, but those aren’t always part of our dream pre-race preparations. So we try to maintain balance. We know it’s important for the sport, but also for the drivers, the teams, and the media, because the season is so long, we travel a lot, we just race, and that’s what we like. However, I think that appearance may be an issue. That’s a bit of an exaggeration, but we get it. ”
Lando Norris: “To be honest, I mostly agree with them, but there’s not much difference.The first episode I ever did was the first I think it was at the end of the season and that was it. That’s all I saw. The thing is, when you know everything that’s going on, if it makes you look good then fine. But sometimes it makes it look bad, and as it turns out, it seems to be the real truth. It’s still a show, it’s to entertain people. It’s not there to provide maybe the most honest things about everything. I know, it’s for the business, right? It’s a business, Formula 1, it’s an entertainment. As much as I don’t do it for entertainment, if it didn’t get televised and all of those things wouldn’t really matter.
“I’m here because I just want to drive. I’m not here to do interviews and enjoy all that. What I love about F1 is that I just want to drive. Because I love doing things like competing with athletes, racing, and all that kind of stuff.Since I started, there’s been a lot more media presence, but in the business world, you don’t have to worry about money or anything like that. This probably makes sense because everything is increasing and that’s the normal way of doing things. But as a driver, it’s not particularly fun, but I think there are some benefits.”
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