Zak Brown Reveals $5 Million Investment Reshaped F1 in America

When it comes to promoting Formula 1, there was no bigger move than getting a Netflix special docuseries. Once that took off, so did F1 in many countries, making it extremely popular in America, for starters. What used to be considered a mostly European sport has now become a sensation in America as well as the rest of the world, with fans getting behind the scenes of the sport for the first time.

Back in 2021, Liberty Media, the owners of F1, stated that there are 1.55 billion cumulative worldwide audiences that enjoy the sport, with a 4% increase every year. Drive to Survive has played a huge role in this, with over 7 million people watching the docuseries. So when Zak Brown was asked about Drive to Survive, he revealed the details of how Liberty played a huge role in making the sport popular in America.

The Drive to Survive’s impact on F1

Zak Brown talks in the Formula 1 episode of the Bloomberg Hot Pursuit! podcast, where the team principal is asked about the role of Drive to Survive in the popularity of Formula 1. To this, Brown replied, “Oh, it’s all down to Drive to Survive. I think it’s definitely played a big role. I think what it all comes down to is Liberty Media.”

In 2017, Liberty Media bought F1, and Brown explained how that impacted the sport:

“When they acquired the sport, the way they reshaped it, focusing on the fans, getting the teams to kind of show the fans behind the curtain—you know, how the sport works—I think Netflix has played a big role there. So, I think where the credit is due is to Liberty.”             

Liberty brought Netflix in on the sport, and that made Drive to Survive a reality. Brown explained, “Netflix has certainly had its role within that, but look at what’s happened in North America. We’ve gone from one race to three races and a new television partner. Netflix has got ‘Becoming,’ which, you know, who isn’t going to watch the next Brad Pitt movie and see him become a Formula 1 driver?”

But the growth does not end there; as Brown said, “We’ve brought women into the sport, we’ve brought youth into the sport, and we’ve made great strides in sustainability. So, I think you’ve got to look at what Liberty has done for the sport as a whole and all the participants in it.”

Drive to Survive makes Formula 1 accessible to everyone, as it starts with explaining the basics of the sport. This and the behind-the-scenes with the drivers and bosses make the series more interesting. Among all the teams, McLaren is one of the most excited to have the crew at the circuits.

McLaren’s Drive to Survive episode guide

“Drive to Survive” has shown many memorable moments with McLaren across its four seasons. In Season 1, viewers saw the McLaren Technology Center and its rich history. Fernando Alonso was the center of attention during the season, although he did not know how to react to having a camera on his face at every given moment. The debut season for McLaren on the show was a hit, and many fans started to enjoy Zak Brown’s outgoing personality.

Season 2 is where the dynamic duo of CarLando comes in as Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris bond and become F1 best friends off-track. That’s when we get to see Zak Brown bond with his potential world champion driver over golf and meeting rooms. This bond continued in Season 3, with Sainz playfully kicking a chair from under Norris during a DTS interview as they are now quite playful around each other.

It was Season 3 when Lando Norris scored his first podium, one of many that went without a win. Season 4 starts with a bang, as Sainz moves to Ferrari and Ricciardo is brought in. Although there was friction between the two teammates, they secured the team’s first 1-2 finish in around a decade. Also shows the iconic Zak Brown getting a tattoo moment. The show has made all the drivers more popular than ever as we get a sneak peek into their personalities and lives.

All of this is proudly mentioned on the team’s website as they take pride in being documented as they create history with the resurgence of the third most dominant team of all time. That being said, which is your favorite Drive To Survive McLaren moment? Let us know in the comments below.