The chaos and drama that unfolds in every Formula One season is exactly why this sport is a perfect fit for a documentary.
When the series premiered on Netflix in 2019 it was surprising no-one had thought of this before.
Providing fans with exclusive access to everything on and off the track it creates a truly unique experience for viewers.
The brilliant work by Netflix, Formula One and Box to Box films keeps you on the edge of your seat even though you already know to a certain extent how the events are going to play out.
The behind-the-scenes access is what truly makes this series, with the intense rivalries between drivers, and pressure team principals are put under, hooking you in with the realism of being there at the heart of all the drama.
The production and editing really adds to the suspense, in a sport where drivers constantly have to prove themselves the pressure is really shown making for an action packed 10 episodes.
The anticipation for season 3 was bigger than ever.
The sport was thrown into turmoil following the Covid-19 outbreak, along with the unsportsmanlike behaviour from Racing Point with their pink Mercedes, and all of that comes before the racing even starts.
Each episode follows its own story arc usually focussed around one team or event, they are then skilfully pieced together with narration from drivers, team bosses and journalists.
It is such an immersive experience which is so shocking and dramatic at times it makes you question its reality.
The glitz and glamour of the sport is really a world away from anything most of us are used to. The start of the series plays through the events leading to the cancellation of the Australian GP.
As Covid-19 becomes a real threat everyone is torn as to whether to continue racing or stop for the sake of public safety. This truly highlights how much money means to teams that rely heavily on sponsorship.
At one point in the episode champion Lewis Hamilton is asked why teams even travelled here, he responds with the answer ‘cash is king’ providing a convenient title for the first episode.
With a budget cap introduced for 2021 the sport bosses have finally listened to the smaller teams who were in real danger of crashing out.
Fast forward to episode nine where you are reminded of the true danger of the sport and what the drivers are risking.
Romain Grosjean’s horrific crash in Bahrain saw his car burst into flames leaving him with severe burns.
With the accident being covered so much in the media many were not sure that the series could provide anything new but including his wife in the episode was really touching.
As they sat together to recall the events of the crash, the impact F1 has in its most terrifying moments is truly captured by Netflix here.
One disappointment from the series is the events it fails to cover. George Russel’s incredible performance at Mercedes and the history of the Williams family as they step back from the sport is barely mentioned.
The drama is always going to be the huge selling point for the producers, and although Guenther Steiner might provide us all with a good laugh, sometimes the more important moments are overlooked.
If you have not watched this season or any of the past two then you really should.
It provides a fantastic insight into the world of F1, and while other sporting documentaries might fail to show absolutely everything, this goes one step further and captures even the toughest of moments for the world’s best drivers.
Main image credit: Matt Herring, Flickr
