Feel a bit embarrassed to be honest, because it took me four years to subscribe to Netflix and to start watching Drive to Survive. But in my defense, I have not been the most loyal F1 fan over the years.
I would call myself the Michael Schumacher-era F1 fan. Back then you could watch F1 in Latvia without paying for a subscription, you had the Latvian National Television (LNT) channel, and every other Sunday you had your F1 race. I still remember the voices of our Latvian F1 commentators like it was only yesterday. And after Schumacher retired for the first time, I think it was then that I stopped watching. Can’t tell if it was solely for that reason or because my father also stopped watching Formula 1, or because LNT stopped broadcasting races. You know, when I write this down, it seems more likely that the reason is with the latter.
Nevertheless, I kept one ear open. I followed who became the new champion, I watched F1 race highlights on YouTube, but that was it. Only recently I re-ignited my interest, namely, I started listening to podcasts such as “F1: Beyond The Grid“, I continue to watch practice, qualification, and race highlights, and I bought some F1-themed biographies (see below). But even though I did all the above I still did not watch the whole race.
Now, when I moved to Brussels, I subscribed to Netflix, and only two months after the day that I subscribed I decided to start watching Drive To Survive. So I have only this question to ask myself. WTF was wrong with you? The series is great. The emotion, the engineering, the race highlights, the interviews. It is everything you would want from a sport that you truly enjoy. Yes, next season I will probably not join any of the F1 teams but I will definitely subscribe to F1 race streams. That is done. But. I am also really considering going to my first F1 race as well. And it mostly likely going to be the Belgian GP at SPA. The ticket is not yet in my pocket, but I am seriously thinking of pulling the trigger.
And one more thing. Being a watch guy I noticed watches that were on the wrists of the various F1 drivers and team principles. Richard Mille is the team sponsor of Ferrari, IWC is for Mercedes, TAG Heuer is for Red Bull before Ferrari RM sponsored McLaren (I think Williams or Haas as well, but I am not 100% sure) before RM Ferrari had Hublot and you can’t leave out Rolex when you talk about sports sponsorships. When you look at wrists in Drive To Survive then Richard Mille is dominant. But the one wrist that caught both my eye and my memory is that of Claire Williams when she had a beautiful Rolex Daytona.
Amazing. When people around me said they are watching Drive to Survive and I should as well, I just shrugged my shoulders and said no. But now. I am a fan of both the series and, most probably, the sport itself once more.
My thoughts.
P.S. Guenther Steiner is a legend. It is bizarre that you don’t hear more about that man if you are not into the F1 bubble.
Kind regards,
Olaaf
P.S.S. I just watched Drive To Survive Season 5 Episode 3. And I am no longer a fan of Guenther Steiner. How he and Gene Haas dealt with Mick Schumacher was appalling.
