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Content is king: Upcoming Formula 1 documentaries to watch out for

By Annika Caniza - July 18, 2022
THE GAME 2022 AUG NEWS F1 Content is King L

Following the success of Drive to Survive, Formula 1 is set to gain two new documentaries for the sport’s many fans.

Formula 1 may well be crowned the content king of sports.

Following the major success of Netflix’s docuseries Drive to Survive, which follows F1 season-by-season, another big media platform seems to be following their steps.

It was recently announced that famous actor Keanu Reeves will be hosting a new documentary about F1 on Disney+.

But it isn’t just the media brands promoting F1 with content. The FIA, F1’s governing body, seems to want a slice of the cake too.

The FIA surprised us yesterday, releasing a pair of tweets teasing their newest project: a movie entitled “When We Were Young”. And perhaps even more surprising is that it will be coming out this Thursday already.

The news of both Disney+ and the FIA’s documentaries may come as a shock to a lot of us. But when we think about it, it isn’t too shocking considering the major success Netflix has had in covering the sport.

Era of content

Formula 1 struck gold when Netflix decided to create a docuseries following an entire season in the sport. Not only did it capture the speedy and grandiose nature of motorsports, but it took viewers to where the drama and controversies lie.

And it changed the sport.

ESPN shared that their average viewership increased by over 50% from the 2020 season to 2021. On the release of season four, over 4 million viewers were on Netflix to watch on the opening weekend.

Thanks to the docuseries, drivers are no longer seen as just athletes. They have become international icons and celebrities. Their fans now follow their lives off track just as much as they do on the track.

Now, it seems that everyone is looking to build on the popularity of the sport’s era of content.

Fresh takes

While Drive to Survive undeniably sits at the center of F1 content at the moment, the FIA and Disney+ are taking fresh angles for their own documentaries.

As seen in their latest teaser, the FIA will be highlighting the inspiring stories that led the drivers to Formula 1. This is a contrast to the dramatic and controversial sides that Drive to Survive offers.

And Disney+’s docuseries is expected to follow F1 from the perspective of managing director Ross Brawn. Plus, it will be hosted by big-time F1 fan, Keanu Reeves. This unique point of view will offer something fresh to fans as well.

Though seemingly inspired by Netflix, it’s exciting to know that we won’t simply be getting remakes of Drive to Survive. We’ll be discovering new things about a sport we already know and love.

Trailing in the path paved by Netflix, we’re still yet to see if they will do the same in boosting the sport all the more.

But given the big following of Formula 1, both releases are expected to achieve a wide viewership, especially with the unique offers they bring to the table. We’ll certainly be tuning into the premiers.