'Formula 1: Drive to Survive' Season 2: Netflix shows how things went bad to worse for Mercedes at German GP
Spoiler alert for 'Formula 1: Drive to Survive' Season 2 Episode 4: 'Dark Days'
Mercedes and Ferrari were the major absentees in Season 1 of Netflix's explosive Formula 1 docu-series, 'Drive to Survive'. Such was the response the series garnered that the two big boys in the F1 universe agreed to be part of the second installment. 'Dark Days' is dedicated to the Silver Arrows. The 30-minute episode highlights the key points that make Mercedes the staggering and consistent success they have been for the last six seasons and the rare, but unforgettable German Grand Prix.
In his introduction, Toto Wolff, Team Principal of Mercedes says F1 racing is very much like "war planning" and he intends to crush the competition. Wolff, in his crisp team shirt and his commander-ish approach, has been pivotal to the team's success and has a major hand in the team's journey to its pinnacle of greatness. And he believes in leaving no stone unturned each season.
The legendary Niki Lauda said, "Winning is one thing, but out of losing, I always learned more'. And it was perhaps this attitude the team was looking for in their quest to be unbeatable. It was then no surprise when they roped in Lauda as part of the team as their Non-Executive Chairman. Success immediately followed. Lauda was a major influence for Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes' star racer and six-time F1 World Champion.
"Niki Lauda's role in the success of Mercedes cannot be overstated," says F1 journalist, Will Buxton. In fact, if it wasn't for Lauda, Hamilton would've perhaps never made the move from McLaren to Mercedes. The episode also captures the death of Lauda and the impact it has on the team as they prepare for the Monaco Grand Prix. Hamilton vroomed his way for a win dedicating it to Lauda.
"I really was fighting with the spirit of Niki", Hamilton was seen saying in the post-race presentation. However, the gut-punch did come with some effect as Mercedes went into the German GP with major expectations from the home crowd. Adding to the pressure was delivering a win at their 125th Motorsport Celebrations. It was a different livery, a different kit, and the team was all decked up and ready to zip their way to a win. Except, what unfolded was what Wolff called "having an s**t day at the office".
For starters, Hamilton was down with the flu and was burning up. And in the footage from Netflix, he's brutally honest when he says "I don't feel great" as he gears up for the Saturday Qualifiers. "But I'm okay to drive" he confirms.
His competitors, Charles LeClerc (Ferrari) and Max Verstappen (Red Bull) were scorching the track, and while Hamilton was off to a rather shaky, slow start, he eventually took pole. It was a perfect start to the German GP and everyone in the camp was seen sporting huge smiles.
It was a damp Sunday. Rain all over, Verstappen was wrestling to keep the car on the track, LeClerc went off and bumped into the boards, and just when it looked like Hamilton had it under control, he spins out losing his right-wing. Adding to the woes a 60-second pit stop that left him with no choice. With Hamilton now staying in for the points, the team's hopes hinged on Valtteri Bottas, who puts the car in the wall.
"We'll learn from it and come out stronger," says a resigned Wolff in the end. However, it was a case of how things went from bad to worse for the Silver Arrows. That loss though could be put away as a rare glitch as Hamilton eventually won his sixth F1 championship in 2019.
'Formula 1: Drive to Survive' Season 2 is available for streaming on Netflix.