The popularity of Formula 1 has significantly grown in recent years. One of the factors that contributed to this increase in popularity is the documentary series on Netflix. The first season of the show was released in 2019, covering the 2018 F1 season. Since then, Drive to Survive has attracted millions of new fans and helped bring the sport to a wider audience. However, it seems that the sixth season of the show has failed to generate the same level of interest among viewers.
According to official Netflix numbers, the latest season of Drive to Survive was watched by 2.9 million viewers in the first three days. This represents a 23.2% decrease compared to the viewership in the first three days of the previous season, which was 3.85 million. Additionally, the total number of hours watched also experienced a significant drop. The sixth season accumulated 21.80 million hours of viewership in the first three days, a 15% decrease compared to the 25.76 million hours watched last year.
This decrease in viewership could be a major setback for the popular Netflix show. However, it is worth noting that fans criticized the latest season for not giving enough attention to Max Verstappen, despite his remarkable performance in the 2023 title campaign. Drive to Survive offers fans a unique behind-the-scenes look at Formula 1, and the 2024 season even featured discussions about a possible departure of Lewis Hamilton from Mercedes. However, it seems that the show is struggling to attract a larger audience.
The documentary series is known for its controversial content, including the involvement of former NASCAR star Danica Patrick. Some die-hard fans of the sport have been ignoring Drive to Survive because of its nature. In fact, Alex Albon even mocked the creators of the show in the last season. Additionally, the increased length and similarity of the storyline in the sixth season compared to the previous season have also turned off viewers.
While it is possible for Drive to Survive to regain its viewership numbers in the future, the recent decline may indicate a growing disinterest from the audience. This could potentially force the creators of the show to make changes to attract viewers in the upcoming seasons.
