Sainz: No issue with "exaggerated" Netflix rivalries
Carlos Sainz says there is no problem with Netflix dramatising rivalries and battles in Formula 1 as the Drive to Survive series continues to boost the sport's popularity.
The second series of Drive to Survive came out at the end of February, following a number of drivers and teams with unprecedented behind-the-scenes access through the 2019 season.
Sainz's campaign gained particular attention from the Netflix cameras, with one of the early season episodes following the McLaren driver over the Azerbaijan and Spain race weekends.
The episode entitled 'Dogfight' hyped up a battle between Sainz and Renault driver Daniel Ricciardo over the two weekends as they looked to lead the midfield fight.
Asked by Motorsport.com for his thoughts on the second season of Drive to Survive, Sainz said that while it exaggerated the rivalry with Ricciardo, he was pleased with what it was achieving for F1 as a whole.
"It was good, I enjoyed it," Sainz said of the season. "Probably the rivalry with Daniel was a bit exaggerated, as you guys might wonder.
"But at the same time, for our US fans, the amount of people that are coming to me to say how thrilled they were with the episodes, and how thrilled they are with the programme, I think it's making a great effect in F1.
"So even if they sometimes exaggerate the rivalry a bit, I still welcome it, and I think it's a great thing for F1. And why not dramatise everything even further? I think it's fine."
Haas F1 driver Romain Grosjean was also full of praise for the series, calling the production quality "incredible".
But he agreed with Sainz that it did not tell the complete story, with both his and Haas's season-long struggles gaining the focus of the second episode of the season.
"When you know the world from inside, it doesn't show everything," Grosjean said. "Some teams have been more open than others. But I like it, I think it's great.
"If you ask me about the Haas episode, I would have liked to see a little bit more of the hard work from the boys behind the scene, because we all see the terrible situation that we're in.
"I believe they could have been shown a little bit more of the actual work that was done to try to jump out of the hole. I guess it wasn't in the scenario."
Share Or Save This Story
1998 Belgian GP: When the Schumachers went to war
The race that transformed perceptions of Red Bull
Hamilton in the process of selecting Brad Pitt’s co-star for F1 movie
What the drivers are expecting from F1's return to Sepang
How Carlos Sainz bounced back from the most difficult moment of his F1 career
Sainz interview: “I always believed in McLaren… but then Ferrari called”
Lando Norris frustrated by engine issue that cost him in Sepang qualifying
F1 Bahrain GP in Malaysia: Sunday schedule, weather forecast and how to watch
Why Mercedes is still quicker than McLaren
Marc Marquez sent body double to Motegi kart race: “We are not here to mess around or drive go karts"
F1 Bahrain GP in Malaysia descends into chaos as car trouble prompts red flag
Kyle Larson debates purpose of stage points, call them "participation awards"
Marc Marquez: 'We could have used the hard tyre for qualifying!'
You Ask The Questions: Emerson Fittipaldi
The wide world of strategy options expected in F1's Bahrain GP in Malaysia
How drivers waiting in the wings can still make their presence count in F1
What we learned from Friday practice at the 2026 Bahrain GP in Malaysia
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments