"The number one show in 33 countries" - Netflix's Drive to Survive Season 4 soon to become the most-watched edition

The latest season of Netflix’s docu-drama series “F1: Drive to Survive” reportedly attracted more viewers than any of its previous seasons.

Season 4 of the series, released early last month, is reportedly on course to surpass the total viewership numbers of Season 3, according to F1’s parent company Liberty Media.

Speaking to Autosport after the announcement of the Las Vegas GP last weekend, Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei said:

“We’re happy to report, and I think our Netflix friends would be happy to report, that it was the number one show in 33 countries around the world already. The season four audience is already larger than the season three audience. So, it's a huge success.

“I think there are a lot of other factors that have helped drive our popularity, but that is certainly one that we don’t discount.”

Launched in 2019, Drive to Survive has been a phenomenal success, both for FOM and Netflix. In recent years, F1 has used the series as a tool to attract younger audiences to the sport.

In North America, particularly in the United States, the series has helped create an unprecedented interest in F1, with the sport now hosting three races within the country.

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Drive to Survive is controversial for its “creative” portrayal of F1

Drive to Survive follows drivers and team members throughout the year and provides exclusive behind-the-scenes action to fans. Dubbed a “docu-drama,” the series uses a documentary style to explore storylines within a season.

However, over the last few seasons, the series has come under increased criticism from hardcore fans and drivers for its less-than-accurate portrayal of what goes on behind the scenes.

In an effort to appeal to regular viewers who are mostly unfamiliar with Formula 1, Drive to Survive has been accused of manufacturing drama.

While this has partly led to its unprecedented success, it has also irked fans. Max Verstappen famously refused to be a part of the series last season, accusing the makers of the show of “faking it.”

Meanwhile, Season 4 was heavily criticized for its seemingly negative depiction of Lando Norris and for “trying to create a narrative” around Nikita Mazepin’s struggles at Haas.

The popularity of the show has also waned as the years have passed. Compared to Season 1, which holds an 89 percent audience approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Season 4 is currently at 17 percent.