The second season of F1 Drive to Survive is on air on Netflix as several fans have already completed watching while some still contemplating.
We (Darshan Chokhani) have watched all of the 10 episodes of Season 2 of F1 Drive to Survive and so we are summarising them one by one for fans who are still waiting to watch. The idea is to impart information on what to expect in each episode.
Like Season 1, the second season has full intrigue and insight with the addition of Mercedes and Ferrari as each of them get one episode, where Netflix crew followed them in German GP and US GP, respectively. The rest is divided with various other storylines.
Apart from the two front-running teams, Netflix focused on Red Bull Racing, Renault, McLaren, Williams and Haas primarily, where Alfa Romeo Racing and Racing Point did not feature at all and AlphaTauri (former Toro Rosso) got some air via their senior F1 team.
Among the drivers, the focus was largely on Daniel Ricciardo, Carlos Sainz, Pierre Gasly, Nico Hulkenberg, Max Verstappen and Alexander Albon as the likes of Lando Norris, Daniil Kvyat along with Alfa Romeo and Racing Point duo largely missing.
As per the expectation from Season 1, the episodes were in-sync but at certain point, it seemed footage were repeated especially when showcasing the Red Bull swap storyline. Some more were repeated in case of Ferrari and Renault.
Here’s a small summary for all the 10 episodes of F1 Drive to Survive:
Episode 1: Lights Out –
The first episode deals with the start of the 2020 F1 season in Australian GP, where the focus is more on Ricciardo and his move to Renault from Red Bull. They also feature Haas in the mix, especially after what happened to them in the 2018 race.
The general build-up then follows where most of the top-end personnel feature but strangely there is no mention at all about the death of Charlie Whiting during that weekend – it could be a known miss where maybe the family did not wish to be shown.
Episode 2: Boiling Point –
The second episode is dedicated wholly to Haas, where they started from their livery launch together with Rich Energy’s William Storey. Interestingly, he got good footage all-through and how he ended the deal due to the poor performance of the American F1 team.
The episode shows the frustration at Haas with the usual frankness from Guenther Steiner as he continued his banter with Romain Grosjean. It also showed the aggression of Kevin Magnussen, especially during British GP when he slammed the office door of Steiner.
Episode 3: Dogfight –
The third episode took us to the fight between Renault’s Ricciardo and McLaren’s Sainz in the midfield where the latter tried to up himself on the former. It showcased the switch from Renault to McLaren and how it eventually happened after the snub.
There was no mention of Red Bull, though, as Sainz made a rough start to 2019. His upward trajectory was then thrown in as Ricciardo’s mixed run at Renault put him behind the Spaniard, with the Australian still finding his feet.
Episode 4: Dark Days –
The fourth episode was dedicated to Mercedes where Netflix crew followed them in German GP. It started with the death of Niki Lauda and showed glimpses of the team during Monaco GP before moving on to the dreaded Hockenheim outing.
Unlike the reports, it did feature Lewis Hamilton – albeit ill – but he fought through the weekend as fans got some insight on his mindset along with the team’s in a difficult race. Valtteri Bottas and Toto Wolff were shown in plenty as well.
Episode 5: Great Expectations –
The fifth episode along with the sixth showcased the whole Red Bull drama where Pierre Gasly was swapped with Alexander Albon. It started with Christian Horner discussing the graduation of the Frenchman in the senior team against Max Verstappen.
It dealt with the pressure Gasly had while Verstappen continue to surge ahead as Horner explained the need for the swap. Netflix captured the moments nicely and had no disrespect towards Gasly, who was demoted back to AlphaTauri.
Episode 6: Raging Bulls –
Continuing from the fifth episode, the sixth one showcased the journey of Albon, who did not have a F1 drive for 2019 until the offer from AlphaTauri came in. From nowhere, he became a Red Bull racer within six months and showed his mettle in a top car.
They also touched on the controversial subject of his mom’s fraud case from 2012 and how Albon was hugely affected by it – the time when he lost is his Red Bull backing. The episode also had the Spa round where Anthoine Hubert died in a F2 crash.
Episode 7: Seeing Red –
Like the fifth episode had Mercedes, the seventh one was all about Ferrari, its history and journey. The Netflix crew followed them during the US GP where the team had multiple issues, like engine failure for Charles Leclerc during the practice session.
The suspension issue for Sebastian Vettel was also captured as they showcased the rise of Leclerc against the four-time F1 champion and his mighty win at Monza – the home of Scuderia Ferrari. It was another nice insight into the Ferrari camp.
Episode 8: Musical Chairs –
The eighth episode focused on Renault and Hulkenberg mostly, whether it was the French GP and or the German GP. It followed the German as his future was mostly discussed and linked with Mercedes junior Esteban Ocon, who eventually made it through.
The missed podium for Hulkenberg somewhat sealed his fate at Hockenheim, where a candid conversation between Wolff and Cyril Abiteboul was aired in the presence of Ocon. As the Frenchman secured a F1 seat, it was goodbye for veteran Hulkenberg.
Episode 9: Blood, Sweat & Tears –
The penultimate episode was all about Williams and how their 2019 F1 campaign took a wrong step already at the start. It featured ousted Paddy Lowe and how his presence depleted when the team couldn’t make it on time for the Barcelona test.
George Russell was the highlight in the episode as his rise was hugely talked about while Claire Williams got good screen time too. The troubled start was a good insight as it showcased how bad things were and continued on during the season.
Episode 10: Checkered Flag –
The final episode summed up the seasons of Albon, Sainz and Gasly, where the Thai racer’s missed podium chance in Brazil was prime focus, along with the podium finishes for both the Spaniard and the Frenchman in a contrasting seasons.
The episode finally had a brief moment of Norris, Kvyat, Kimi Raikkonen, Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll along with Lawrence Stroll.
Here’s where you can watch all the 10 episodes: https://www.netflix.com/in/title/80204890
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