By Laura Quero. Sub-edited by Rachel Roberts
Formula 1: Drive to Survive, the Netflix sports documentary, was created to provide an inside look into the behind-the-scenes of Formula One in 2019. Using a season-by-season format, it emphasized the drivers and team principals involved in ongoing conflicts, mixing both racing incidents and the political and contractual issues.
The episodes often ended with unresolved situations to engage the viewers, drawn to selected races and controversies, often dramatized. Subsequently, producers focused on the Formula One calendar, but not on a race-by-race basis. Instead, each episode centred on one team or driver, creating a narrative that blends on-track action with personal stories. Throughout the episodes, there were various interviews with drivers or team principals, yet no questions about real data were asked. Instead, questions were crafted with strong emotional weight to evoke feelings.
Embed from Getty ImagesWhile the documentary is classified as a sports one, its main focus digressed from traditional forms of sports coverage that normally stressed technical analysis and statistical detail. Alternatively, the series highlighted a dramatic narrative, personal rivalries, and emotional storytelling. With this approach, producers promoted Formula One not as a highly technical sport, but as a more approachable one for those unfamiliar with the technical aspects, to expand their horizon and audience worldwide.
Embed from Getty ImagesI have learned that sports storytelling is not just about results and data, but you also need to be able to draw people in, make them interested in the narrative you are presenting. For those who are avid fans of motorsports and Formula One, Drive to Survive was probably not entirely accurate, but then again, that is not its goal. Netflix intended to create a reality-show type of documentary as an introduction to the sport to a broader audience, and the storytelling methods needed to accomplish the aforementioned goal. Such was the success, they have been producing what would be the seventh season. In my own understanding of journalism, I see it as a way to communicate a truth, but in a more engaging way. My aspiration as a sports journalist is to be able to connect with the audience, get their attention, and do so while staying loyal to the data provided. Exaggeration is not necessary in most contexts, as long as one is capable of portraying the sport as interesting as one considers it to be.