The upcoming fourth season of Netflix’s Drive to Survive will be controversial. It documents the Grand Prix 2021 Formula One race where Max Verstappen beat Lewis Hamilton in an allegedly manipulated final lap.
While the series has helped increase interest in the Formula One racing events and helped in a boom in viewership, it seems like Netflix wants to venture into this demographic further.
Netflix has planned to launch a cycling event of the same stature and document the races, behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with cyclists using the same Drive to Survive format.
The makers of Drive to Survive, Box to Box Films will make a comeback on Netflix for the cycling show to aim for similar success. The new horizon of opportunities has piqued the interest of ASO, which organises the famous Tour de France.
The current plan involves eight WorldTour teams, namely Jumbo-Visma, Alpecin-Fenix, Quick-Step AlphaVinyl, Ag2r Citroën, EF Education EasyPost, Ineos Grenadiers, Groupama-FDJ and Movistar. They will begin filming the series at 2022 Tour De France and air in May 2023.
However, the team bosses have had a mixed reception. While Quick-Step’s Patrick Lefevere has agreed to the terms and conditions, he has admitted that the venture will not be worth their time if the money is insufficient.
He said, “I have now pledged verbally, but with moderate enthusiasm and with reservations. If the fee for the teams doesn’t go up in the future, it won’t be worth the squeeze.”
EF’s Jonathan Vaughters fears the reception of the series given how nuanced a sport cycling is. However, they agree on the positive effects of documentaries and series in garnering audience interest in a particular sport.
Besides Drive to Survive, Netflix’s dabble in the chess arena with The Queen’s Gambit, starring Anya Taylor-Joy, proved to impact the user’s interest in the sport positively.
Drive to Survive season four will premiere on Netflix on March 11th, 2022.
