The Formula 1 circus continues to roll and is bigger than ever. Through the series “Drive to survive”, the racing drivers have slipped into brand new TV sofas at home and given the sport a boost. On March 11, the fourth season of the hit series was released, and on Sunday, the season’s first competition will be run in Sakhir, Bahrain.
– I have not had time to see season four, but I have seen the previous seasons. I think it’s great fun that Netflix has done so that everyone can follow F1 up close, says Rickard Rydell.
Unlike before, when the average F1 viewer was a middle-aged man, the sport through the streaming giant has attracted a completely new audience.
– The average age has dropped considerably and broadened. It’s extra fun that there are many younger girls who have started watching. For example, my 27-year-old daughter and her friends are watching F1 now, says Rickard Rydell.
What made them get stuck?
– I think it’s pretty clear. They have gained an insight into the atmosphere behind and the characters, such as Günther Steiner who is team manager in Haas, Lando Norris who drives for McLaren and Charles Leclerc for Ferrari. You get close to the personalities.
But many have, of course, been imprisoned of the rivalry between stars Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.
– You noticed that from last season. It was held either at Verstappen or at Hamilton and it became a much greater polarization than we have seen before.
The fight between them will continue on the competition tracks in 2022, but after the third season of “Drive to survive”, Max Verstappen chose to boycott Netflix production. The world champion thought they had screwed up rivalries that did not exist.
– The rivalry between drivers, they have well rolled up a little more than what is true, I think. I understand Verstappen, but at the same time you have to look a little bigger at the whole thing. This has benefited the sport very much, but I understand if he thinks he has been presented in the wrong way and wants to highlight, says Rickard Rydell.
By the way, is there a lot that is cut and angled and does not correspond to reality?
– Both. What they have done well is that they have brought out the people behind the scenes that have not been seen before. But some things are angled a bit to make it a good story.
Rikard Rydell has himself has had a long racing career and as a formula car driver has won the Macao Grand Prix and finished second in the Formula 3 championship in both Sweden and Japan. In 2016, he put the racing helmet on the shelf. After many years in the fine room of motorsport, he clearly notices the sport’s re-ignition.
– People come to one, it can be in town or at a restaurant, and say that they have started to check. There are very many who have started following the sport after seeing “Drive to survive”.
What impact the new target group will have on the sport in general remains to be seen.
– Hopefully some will change. Other sponsors can come in, the sport becomes more interesting … It can only be positive, says Rickard Rydell.
