F1 News: Drive To Survive Struggles After First Week Of Season 6

The once-thriving Drive to Survive series faces a viewership challenge, with the latest season opening to significantly lower audience numbers.

The premiere week of Drive to Survive Season 6 witnessed a downturn in viewership. A 30% year-on-year decrease in audience numbers was reported by Netflix.

Key Takeaways:

• Season 6 of 'Drive to Survive' experienced a 30% drop in viewership compared to the previous year.
• The series clocked 21.8 million hours viewed over its first weekend, an 18% decline from last season.
• Despite a longer series run this year, the average audience figures have diminished significantly.

Netflix's flagship Formula One docuseries, 'Drive to Survive', has hit a rough patch in its latest season, with viewership figures taking an unexpected dip. The series, which has traditionally served as a fan favourite for offering an inside look at the high-octane world of F1 racing, seems to have lost some of its momentum.

Initial data released by Netflix reveals that the audience numbers for the first three days of Season 6 have been less than stellar. With an average viewership of just 2.9 million in its opening days, there is a notable 30% drop compared to last year's figures. These numbers paint a concerning picture for the series, which has been pivotal in bringing the sport to a broader, more diverse audience.

Delving deeper into the metrics, the total hours viewed over the opening weekend stood at 21.8 million, which falls short of last year's 25.76 million hours by 18%. This decline is particularly significant considering this season's extended runtime, which naturally should have resulted in higher viewership hours.

Season 6 of Drive to Survive promised to deliver an intense look into the 2023 season, a year marked by Red Bull and Max Verstappen's staggering dominance, and it did not disappoint in content. It covered the exceptional moments such as Carlos Sainz's victory at the Singapore Grand Prix and Daniel Ricciardo's dramatic return to Formula One. Moreover, the pre-release hype was augmented by a teaser hinting at pivotal moments like Lance Stroll's wrist injury and George Russell's shattering crash at the same Grand Prix.

Despite these compelling narratives, the figures suggest a waning interest, which could be attributed to a variety of factors, including potential series fatigue or the possibility that the 2023 season simply wasn't exciting enough for some viewers.

All eyes are now on the Week 2 figures to see if Drive to Survive can regain its lost traction.

As the Formula One community awaits the release of the full trailer, the pressure is on for Drive to Survive to perform. The docuseries has been a game-changer for the sport, attracting new fans and providing an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look into the teams and personalities that make Formula One one of the most exhilarating sports in the world.