7 shows to watch if you liked Formula 1: Drive to Survive
Netflix's Formula 1: Drive to Survive has grown to become a guilty pleasure for racecar fans around the world ever since it premiered in 2019. It has seven seasons and 70 episodes. The show's latest season was released this month on the streaming platform. Each season focuses on a different edition of the popular Formula One World Championship with a focus on the drivers and races.
In season seven of Formula 1: Drive to Survive, viewers get to see all the behind-the-scenes action at the 2024 Formula One World Championship. From Lewis Hamilton's move to Scuderia Ferrari to the scandals involving Christian Horner, the season has drama and revelations that will keep fans engaged from start to finish.
Viewers who enjoy watching Formula 1: Drive to Survive should make a point to add the titles on this list to their watchlist as they also feature impressive racecars and their enigmatic drivers.
Disclaimer: This list contains information from various sources.
Hyperdrive, and six other shows like Formula 1: Drive to Survive that will fuel your passion for racecars
1) Le Mans: Racing Is Everything (2017)
In Formula 1: Drive to Survive, the audience gets a real idea about the amount of hard work and effort that goes into the races. The same diligence also comes through in Le Mans: Racing Is Everything containing a total of six episodes.
Like the Formula One World Championship, 24 Hours of Le Mans is held annually. An endurance-focused sports car race, it pushes drivers to their limits as it takes one whole day to complete. This show puts the focus on six of the best-in-class teams and their preparations for the race.
Like Formula 1: Drive to Survive, Le Mans: Racing Is Everything showcases a more intimate side of the drivers who share their dreams and contemplate the risk factors and concerns. It also helps that the creators have emphasized adding as much detail as possible so that the audience can learn a thing or two about this monumental race that has been around since 1923.
Where to watch: Le Mans: Racing Is Everything is available on Prime Video.
2) Fastest Car (2018)
A big part of what makes Formula 1: Drive to Survive interesting to watch is the awe-inspiring racecars that zoom across the screen. Fastest Car has two seasons and 15 episodes and features a fair share of impressive cars.
In every episode, viewers are introduced to three different sleeper cars. Although these unassuming cars don't look very fast, their owners claim that they can hold up in a race. The audience can judge for themselves when these cars go up against one supercar in a quarter-mile drag race. The winning cars then move on to the final race at the end of the season.
Similar to Formula 1: Drive to Survive, Fastest Car is interesting to watch because of the passionate people who sit in the driver's seat. All of them have a story to tell which adds to the relatability of the show. It will especially appeal to gearheads who want to know exactly what is happening under the hood.
Where to watch: Fastest Car is available for streaming on Netflix.
3) Grand Prix Driver (2018)
Like Formula 1: Drive to Survive, Grand Prix Driver also gives viewers access to a side of Formula One racing that not many people know about. This show, containing four episodes in total, focuses specifically on the McLaren team as they gear up for the 2017 season.
Fans who follow the races are well-acquainted with everything that happens on the track but there is a lot happening behind the scenes to keep Formula One teams up and running. And that is exactly what viewers get to see in Grand Prix Driver.
From the frustrations that emerge from mistakes in the build to coping with the pressures of the race, this show does a great job of capturing the different challenges that the teams have to tackle on the days leading up to the actual races.
Where to watch: Grand Prix Driver can be streamed on Prime Video and Apple TV+.
4) Hyperdrive (2019)
In Formula 1: Drive to Survive, it becomes obvious that the drivers are always going up against the odds to fulfill their dreams. The same relentless passion is also alive among the drivers featured in Hyperdrive, containing 10 episodes.
In this show, 28 elite racing drivers from around the world are given an opportunity to showcase their skills. They have to navigate an extremely challenging race track that contains several different obstacles. Drivers are eliminated based on their performances until only six remain who then have to compete with each other to become the one true champion.
All the drivers have distinctively different personalities and the audience will enjoy getting to know all of them. It is certainly a tad more dramatic than Formula 1: Drive to Survive but the show still has several shocking upsets and satisfying triumphs that will keep viewers hooked till the end.
Where to watch: Hyperdrive can be viewed on Netflix.
5) The Crew (2021)
Like Formula 1: Drive to Survive, The Crew is also geared towards viewers who are interested in racing. Unlike the rest of the titles on this list, this show isn't a documentary but that doesn't mean that it isn't worth the watch. Containing 10 episodes, it stars Kevin James, Jillian Mueller, Freddie Stroma, and many others.
James plays Kevin Gibson, the crew chief of a NASCAR race team called Bobby Spencer Racing. When the owner decides to retire, his daughter, Catherine Spencer (Mueller), picks up the mantle. Things get hilariously messy when Kevin and Catherine clash over different opinions on how to take the team to the next level.
The show does start out a little slow but things pick up as the season progresses. The endearing characters and hilarious dialogue combine to create an entertaining viewing experience that can be enjoyed by all viewers, even those who don't know much about racing.
Where to watch: The Crew is available for streaming on Netflix.
6) Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story (2023)
It is evident in Formula 1: Drive to Survive that Formula One racing is not for the weak-hearted. Only those who are willing to push the envelope are able to make it to the finish line. The same tenacity and determination can be found in Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story, containing four episodes.
In this show, the focus is on an independent team that held the underdog role at the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship. But Jenson Button and Brawn GP made the impossible happen by winning the Drivers' Championship and Constructors' Championship.
Like Formula 1: Drive to Survive, there is something very inspiring about Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story because it reinstates the fact that even the toughest battles can be won with the right attitude and unrelenting resolve. Having Keanu Reeves as the presenter also adds to the charm of the show.
Where to watch: Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story is available on Disney+, Hulu and Apple TV+.
7) NASCAR: Full Speed (2024)
Formula 1: Drive to Survive provides a deep dive into the Formula One World Championship. Similarly, NASCAR: Full Speed provides insight into the races and drivers of the world-famous NASCAR Cup Series.
Containing five episodes, the show captured the playoffs of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series and the season finale which took place at Daytona International Speedway. In a lot of ways NASCAR: Full Speed is similar to Formula 1: Drive to Survive because it also allows fans to understand the vision of the teams and become immersed in the lives of the passionate drivers.
Even though only one season has been released so far, a second season is currently is the works as per reports and is expected to premiere sometime this year.
Where to watch: NASCAR: Full Speed can be streamed on Netflix.
These shows, like Formula 1: Drive to Survive, are all about envy-inducing racecars and the charming personalities who control the steering wheel.
