"They're scared to get canceled" - Ex-IndyCar champ compares F1's Netflix success to '100 Days to Indy' failure

After trailing viewership figures in the United States, IndyCar decided to follow F1's Drive To Survive success and launched '100 Days to Indy' on CW. However, ex-champion Paul Tracy criticized the cancel nature prevalent in America for the series' inability to show the real behind-the-scenes action in the series.

With Liberty Media taking over F1 in 2017, they decided to collaborate with Netflix to launch a sports docuseries. The first season of 'Drive To Survive' premiered in 2019 and was immediately a hit, helping F1 bring in a hoard of new fans and skyrocketing its viewership globally.

Witnessing this, IndyCar also delved into making their own separate show '100 Days to Indy'. Contrary to their expectations, the series did not do much to increase the viewership of the sport, which still trails both F1 and NASCAR more often than not. This led Tracy to point out the flaws with the show (via ThrillCast on YouTube):

"A lot of drivers in America are not they're still you know, there's still cancel culture here and you know drivers are really afraid to just be themselves, say what they feel, you know drop an F-bomb. Whereas, in you watch Netflix, I'm watching right now the new season of F1 [Drive To Survive], I watched NASCAR and then IndyCar's little deal they have going with CW channel, they have the 100 days to Indy," Tracy said (11:56 onwards)

The 56-year-old added:

"It's not drawing in the fans because of that I feel that you know the drivers they're just scared to get canceled. You know or scared to get in trouble with their sponsor, scared to get reprimanded by the team, and you know it's just a weird time that we live in," he added (12:58 onwards).

While the ex-champion was critical of the show, drivers have praised the show for giving insights into a driver's life to the audience.

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Conor Daly is appreciative of IndyCar's efforts to get into the entertainment industry

Conor Dally at the NASCAR Xfinity Series Pennzoil 250 - Source: Getty

Despite earning criticism for the program's format by various revered figures, drivers have ushered in their support for the series. This included Conor Daly, who in an interview with Wish TV in 2024 said:

"I think it's been great honestly. I think that there's always more going on than what people know about. You know when it comes to the feelings between drivers. But you know this community is also been good, like everyone kind of has a good mutual respect. I think there are some people that don't like each other of course as is always in a professional sporting environment but I think 100 days [to] Indy have done a great job I mean I've enjoyed working with the team I think they've been awesome," he said (5:20 onwards)

The 2025 IndyCar season is set to begin on March 2 at St. Petersburg.