Netflix and Formula 1 just dropped a bombshell, confirming that the hit docuseries Drive to Survive is officially returning for a ninth season, hitting screens in early 2027. But before a single frame even aired, they’ve already kicked off a massive controversy with one single image, and it’s peak DTS. This new season is set to cover all the drama, fresh technical regulations, and grid shake-ups from the 2026 racing campaign.
Max Verstappen’s Snub Is Already Stoking the Flames
Seriously, you cannot make this stuff up. The biggest news coming out of the Season 9 announcement? The promotional image Netflix and F1 dropped shows no sign of four-time World Champion Max Verstappen. None! Social media exploded immediately. For a series that’s supposed to be about top-tier Formula 1 action, leaving out arguably the biggest name in the sport, a four-time champion no less, from the initial promo is absolutely wild. But if you’ve been watching this show since its 2019 debut, you know Drive to Survive lives for manufacturing controversy out of thin air. This strategic exclusion feels like their latest, most blatant stunt. Verstappen’s stormy relationship with the production team is legendary. He famously boycotted interviews in earlier seasons, ripping the show for faking rivalries, editing quotes completely out of context, and just outright over-dramatizing everything. By putting Verstappen in the background, or leaving him out entirely from promo materials, Netflix and F1 are clearly leaning into the meta-drama. They just want clicks and debates before we even get to episode one.
A Shadow of Its Former Self, Or A Fresh Start?
There’s no denying the historic impact of Drive to Survive. When it first landed, it was a revolution for motorsports. It shoved Formula 1 right into mainstream American consciousness, introducing millions of new fans to the sport by lifting the visor and giving us an unprecedented look inside the lives, tensions, and personalities of F1 drivers. That groundbreaking peak was nearly nine years ago, though, and honestly? The show today feels like a sad shadow of its former self. We’re talking tired, formulaic routine, stitched-together radio calls, dramatic pause edits, and recycled storylines. Netflix hasn’t done anything truly new or innovative with the format in years. Unless Season 9, covering the 2026 regulations, manages to reinvent how it covers the sport, Drive to Survive risks being a victim of its own repetitive formula. Still, there’s speculation about exciting new storylines, like the rise of Mercedes prodigy Kimi Antonelli, and episodes featuring the grid debuts of Audi and Cadillac, alongside intense driver rivalries.
So, as we wait for early 2027, the big question is whether Drive to Survive Season 9 can actually deliver a genuine peek behind the curtain, or if it will just keep pushing manufactured drama. The show aims to explore the sport’s “hidden sides,” but will it finally get real? We’ll definitely still watch it though, won’t we?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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