Alain Prost credits the Netflix series with revitalizing Formula 1’s global appeal and engaging new audiences.
Alain Prost has reflected on the phenomenon of ‘Drive to Survive’, the Netflix series on Formula 1 that has significantly boosted the sport’s popularity among fans, evidently rejuvenating its aging fan base.
This initiative by Liberty Media, taken at the time of their acquisition of F1 from Bernie Ecclestone, has been a major move. And the four-time world champion reveals today that he was initially sceptical, while he was consulting for Renault F1.
“I was still at the circuit when Netflix came along. Honestly, I didn’t believe in the Netflix project, I thought it was odd,” he confides to GQ.
“There’s nothing usual about having large booms and microphones come along and capture conversations. Formula 1 was until then a relatively closed environment.”
“The series has been a tremendous boom for F1, enjoying incredible success. Even though not everything is always true, we saw the human side in this sport and I have always said that humanity must take precedence above all else.”
“We have too often spoken about technology and slightly obscured the sport to focus on media and communication… A new generation has started watching Formula 1, and it’s not just a young audience. It includes people who hadn’t paid much attention to it before.”
“What I wonder is whether the success comes from the product itself or whether it was triggered by a connection between the product and Covid. For three years, I watched lots of series, something I hadn’t done at all before.”
And which series does Prost watch exactly?
“I watch all sorts of things! Recently, I really enjoyed ‘My Little Reindeer’. I’ve also seen ‘Your Honor’, I started ‘Fargo’ but didn’t finish it… I watched a lot of series for a year.”
“But to return to your initial question, I don’t see myself in ‘Drive to Survive’. It doesn’t always correspond to my reality. Plus, it’s an environment I know well, so there’s nothing for me to learn there. But I acknowledge that it has done a lot of good for F1, particularly in terms of audience and economic impact.”
“If I were a driver today, I would be happy because I wouldn’t need to chase sponsors, spending 90% of my time just doing that. What I observe is that Formula 1 has become a real business, an incredible marketing platform, and that’s all anyone seems to think about.”
It is therefore essential to refocus on the drivers, their stories, and their personalities.
“Obviously, the charisma of some drivers plays a part, but also the way they conduct themselves off the track… We could also perhaps change some rules to make it less systematic. I’ve always been someone who values balance. I do not want the sport to drift solely towards the business side. When I find myself on a starting grid today, I feel like I’m no longer in my element. Everything is tailored for people coming from the Cannes Film Festival, the influencers… It’s a constant buzz.”
“Most importantly, we must keep the enthusiasts. That’s what I mean by balance. I can’t say that what happened with Netflix was a mistake. Nowadays, everyone talks about Formula 1, it’s incredible. But we must not lose the tradition, the passion. We must also remember that it is a sport, a competition, and it should not be sanitized. All this concerns me, but I make no criticisms of it. It is merely an observation.”
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Prost Lauds Netflix’s ‘Drive to Survive’ for F1 Boom Prost Lauds Netflix’s ‘Drive to Survive’ for F1 Boom. f1 2024 Prost Lauds Netflix’s ‘Drive to Survive’ for F1 Boom
