Since it launched in 2019, the Netflix series Drive to Survive has divided Formula 1 fans. Some love the additional insight and the chance to see drivers and team bosses in a whole new light. Others hate it, complaining it has turned a once serious sport into a soap opera and attracted the wrong kind of fans.
But it has undoubtedly played a key role in the surge in Formula 1’s popularity.
With so much talk around the future of the World Rally Championship, and the FIA’s working group citing that promotion is one of the key areas that requires attention, the idea of a similar series focusing on rallying is a topic that has been raised on social media regularly in recent months.
WRC Promoter revealed to DirtFish at Croatia Rally that it has in fact already discussed the possibility of producing such a series.
Drive to Survive-style series could make for riveting viewing
Simon Larkin, WRC Promoter’s event director, said they’d gone “very deep down a path”, but that no agreement has yet been reached, and that financial obstacles from both sides remain a hurdle –particularly as viewing figures for Drive to Survive are beginning to dip for the show’s sixth season.
The news of a potential tie-up comes at what is undoubtedly a critical time for the WRC, and for rallying more widely. While the 2024 season has delivered action aplenty on the stages, off them debate rages about the future direction of the sport.
There is disagreement about the technical regulations, while fans rail against the points system introduced at the start of the season.
Most of those who are arguing would agree on this though: the WRC needs to do more to reach fans. The FIA, promoter and manufacturers are all aligned on this point, and are holding regular meetings to discuss how the championship can reach a wider audience and connect better with viewers.
While there are clearly challenges, Peter Thul, WRC Promoter’s senior director of sport, pointed out that there are also reasons for optimism, especially when it comes to TV viewing figures. He said: “We are totally convinced that the situation of the championship is in terms of media coverage, in terms of eyeballs, in terms of TV, is good because we have comparison to other ones [championships].
Team principals may have a different persona behind closed doors
“We can improve and also this was recognized by at least one manufacturer that we are in terms of reference of eyeballs and so clearly the number two behind Formula 1. OK, there’s a gap: Formula 1 is Formula 1, we don’t want to compare us even slightly with Formula 1.”
Larkin recognizes the need for improvement. He said: “I think any promoter or any commercial rights holder, there will always be an evolution that’s needed: constant change, constant discussion, constant new initiatives. And I think we need to push a little bit more.”
He described Drive to Survive as a “watershed moment” for motorsport coverage, and admitted the WRC could benefit from its own version of the concept. However, he also urged caution, citing the attempts of other championships to use a similar model.
“I think it hit the right time but I think we need to be quite careful that just producing one of those series doesn’t necessarily automatically mean you’re going to open up new audiences because many other championships just in motorsport have done exactly that and I’m afraid they had no impact.”
WRC stars are used to facing the cameras
Having one of the big names in streaming on board is essential in his view.
“We get pitched 10 times a year by someone who says that they can they can produce the next Drive to Survive for us. Unless you have that product placement on a Netflix or an Amazon or something, no one’s going to watch it.
“You can put it on YouTube all you like. I’m afraid no one watches it. And the problem when you put something on YouTube like that and no one watches it, everyone can tell that no one has watched it. This is pure marketing. You don’t want people to see that no-one is watching you.”
Larkin does, however, believe that YouTube has an important role to play. He said: “We’re quite confident with our numbers on things like YouTube compared to other motorsport series; it’s actually quite strong.
“You look at some other motorsport series, their YouTube numbers, which are publicly visible, are dire. We have some clips that do very well and some clips to do very badly as well. But we’re committed to that free access of content and that’s the same for broadcasters as well.”
