'Formula 1: Drive to Survive' Season 2 Review: The big boys arrive as series goes deeper into the F1 Universe
This is a spoiler-free review
The world of Formula 1 is ruthless, lucrative, high-octane, adrenaline-fuelled and every bit emotional. Netflix's attempt to give the world an inside look in the F1 biz was successful enough for them to come back with a Season 2.
A season that does not disappoint. If anything, it fares a lot better than it's predecessor by ringing in the changes. For starters, there's Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari — the two notable absentees from Season 1.
There's more focus on getting the inside scoop of the developments in the paddock and the HQs. There's a better look at the racers and their off-track personas, especially the ones who've had starkly contrasting seasons.
There were some topics that we knew beforehand would be looked at — One of them was Daniel Ricciardo's disastrous start after switching to Renault.
Add to this Pierre Gasly's demotion from Red Bull Racing to Torro Rosso and roping in Alexander Albon for the remainder of the races. Or Lewis Hamilton's horrific retirement at the German GP.
There are some elements that are retained from Season 1 and rightfully so. 'Drive to Survive' was looking for a new breed of viewers and while the primary target was F1 aficionados, it made sure those streaming didn't necessarily have to watch the entire racing season.
There was enough information covered and for all its worth, it just made sure F1's fanbase grew a lot bigger.
Perhaps, the biggest episode is the one that focuses on Haas's Team Principal, Guenther Steiner. The team had a torrid 2018 and 2019 didn't do much to lift their spirits either. The docuseries captures his frustrations as he drops F-bombs at will.
Again, much of Mercedes and Ferrari's documentation won't be part of this review as the big boys have their own stories to narrate. What's surprising is teams like Racing Point and Alfa Romeo don't really get much screentime.
Focusing attention back on Steiner, Haas has been through another hurricane and it had dire consequences on the team. For starters, it wasn't just the drivers who drove Steiner mad. Rich Energy pulling out as title sponsors along with performance issues just pipped them lower.
For those tuning in to watch Season 2, the first question will most definitely be about how Netflix managed to get in that much access to dish out details that fans wouldn't have seen coming. The unseen camera footage, the inter-driver dramas and the gripping racing sequences add to the exhilaration the series brings.
'Drive to Survive' Season 10 may have the same number of episodes and the same runtime as Season 1, but it packs more than a wallop as it forays deeper into the F1 universe.
'Formula 1: Drive to Survive' Season 2 debuts February 28 on Netflix.