Netflix’s Drive to Survive Season 3 Review

Netflix’s Drive to Survive Season 3 might be the worst season ever!

After watching season 3, I think I was harsh on season 2.

For the fans, DTS is a way to look at the behind the scene conversations and deals about the season before. To be honest, whether it is good or not, fans will watch it, and like every fan, there will be complaints about the content that was put in. However, season 3 is troubling not because of content, but also because of inaccuracies and certain framing of imaginary rivalries.

But, before talking about what is missing, let’s talk about what it showed brilliantly.

What is in the Season 3?

Understandably, the season starts with the pandemic and the delay of the season. Nothing extraordinary to show to the fans, but for the general audience, it shows how hard it was for Formula 1, maybe even more than other sports.

Episodes 3 and 4 more up to speed than the first two episodes. It is a continuing story of Valtteri facing the challenge of being number 2 in Mercedes, but it would be better if we saw the struggle for a whole season. Rather than just watching the events around Sochi which was all episode 3 was about.

Episode 4 is the episode for the Tifosi and for the Vettel fans. Honestly, this episode is a very bad public stunt for Ferrari. It shows how they are just a big corporation.

Like every corporation, we see how they mistreated Vettel all the way to the end.  However, It was satisfying to see Sebastian Vettel was doing his bid against Ferrari and against the mistreatment as well.

Episode 5 offers lots of Daniel Ricciardo. If Netflix does one thing well, it is that they have a good narrative throughout the seasons. As a documentary, DTS shows how Daniel’s career has changed from Red Bull to Mclaren. It also shows Renault’s disappointment towards Daniel.

Episode 6 might be one of the best episodes of this season. The brilliant victory and drive from Pierre Gasly at Monza displayed beautifully during the episode. Again, it is a good continuing story from Season 2. Gasly’s win was one of the big highlights of the 2020 season and it is good that Netflix thinks the same.

Pierre Gasly on the podium after he won the Italian GP on September 06, 2020, in Monza, Italy. (Photo by Jenifer Lorenzini – Pool/Getty Images)

Yet, the show is showing a bunch of mistakes and inaccuracies until this point. An obvious one is the bits of radio clips that do not match with the visual clip. It may not be so significant to the narrative of the episode, but it is very unnerving for the fans.

Episode 7 offers lots of Guenther. The star of DTS returns again with a disappointing season for Haas F1 team.  It also shows how Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin were chosen for this season.

Episode 8 is an absolute disaster. It shows how Netflix frames the events and creates imaginary rivalries.

Formula 1 was always about rivalries and still is. Yet, creating a rivalry that is not there was a bit of a low blow to the fans and to the drivers.

Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris were a dynamic duo and very good friends that are known by everybody. With the clips that are out of context and place, Netflix created an episode around an issue that is not there. Frankly, there were lots of different highlights that could have replaced this episode.

Episodes 9 and 10 were absolute necessities of this season. The crash of  Romain Grosjean shows that how F1 is dangerous and on the limit. But also, it shows how the safety measures are improved so much that he was able to walk away from the fire.

the crash of Romain Grosjean at the Bahrain International Circuit on November 29, 2020, in Bahrain, Bahrain. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)

Sir Lewis Hamilton is the only black driver in Formula 1 history. The events surrounding the death of George Floyd affected everyone around the world. Yet, the issue of race was never discussed in Formula 1. In episode 10, Sir Lewis Hamilton shares his personal struggle and journey in Formula 1 as a black driver.

What is missing in Season 3?

Watching the races last season,  I was anxious for DTS because there were many dramas and highlights.

Well many of them were not even in DTS.

One of these moments is absolutely George Russell driving for Mercedes in Bahrain. Not only Russell’s own narrative and having this opportunity to race for Mercedes, but also the race itself was a roller coaster.

Russell, a driver yet to score a single point having a chance to drive the best car on the grid and an opportunity to show Toto Wolff what he can do. There are genuine discussions around 2022 seats at Mercedes.

Getting to episode 10 and realising you’re not in #DriveToSurvive… pic.twitter.com/huDY1MVRd6

— George Russell (@GeorgeRussell63) March 20, 2021

As a Mercedes academy driver, it was his chance to show that he got what it takes. Not only from the fans’ perspective, but it is also a good Netflix narrative.

It is really interesting why this was not considered by DTS.

Turkish Grand Prix might be the most chaotic and eventful race of the season.

Lance Stroll leads the race during the Turkish GP on November 15, 2020 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Tolga Bozoglu – Pool/Getty Images)

From the slippery track conditions to the rain, from Lance Stroll leading the race to Hamilton winning his seventh World Championship and even Sebastian Vettel getting a podium, Turkish GP was a roller coaster and one of the most memorable weekends of the 2020 season.

Yet, it is not included in Season 3.

There are multiple narratives around it and it could have been portrayed in many ways. Hamilton equaling Michael Schumacher’s seven World titles is a major point in Formula 1 and it was just squeezed in the last episode a little bit.

There were also bits of footage from the race itself but not enough to show that roller coaster weekend.

There are also two events that could have been added easily.

We talked about how continuity is important in DTS throughout seasons. We saw how Williams struggling and hitting down the bottom. The fact that Williams is sold, and Claire Williams leaving the team could have completed that narrative.

Even the Williams family issued a statement, saying there was footage and clips about the topic and Netflix filmed some parts, but those were not included in Season 3 (Delaney, 2021).

Williams Deputy Team Principal Claire Williams (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)

Lastly, the return of Nico Hülkenberg and getting P3 in qualifying at the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix. Hülkenberg was also a narrative that DTS has set in previous seasons. It could have been a good personal story and also show that how bizarre the 2020 season was. A driver out of nowhere coming and sitting in a Formula 1 car to drive because of COVID-19.

Ahead of the qualifying of Eifel Grand Prix at Nürburgring on October 10, 2020 (Photo by Peter Fox/Getty Images)

 Overall

This might be the worst season of DTS from a documentary perspective, as a season 2020 was great for a Formula 1 fan. There were too many highlights and too many roller coaster weekends throughout the season.

It is a shame that Season 3 is failing to show the whole narrative of the 2020 season. Not only that, but lots of inaccurate footage and questionable editing is a low blow to the series.

But, still, they managed to show at least 3 to 4 important issues and events that happened in 2020, and doing that successfully is still worth watching season 3 of Netflix’s Drive to Survive.