In its quest for live sports domination, Netflix could pair one of its most popular shows ever with its live counterpart. According to The London Times, Netflix could pair Drive To Survive with live F1 races, creating a formidable one-two punch for racing fans nationwide.
This would be the company’s first attempt at securing rights to an entire season’s worth of events, rather than just tentpole one-offs like holiday NFL games and boxing matches. ESPN is the current rights holder but The Times indicated that the company’s exclusivity deal with F1 has expired — and that the circuit is open for business with other potential suitors.
The Times says Apple and ESPN are still on the table as far as challengers but F1 would probably not be interested in the same global rights deal Apple has with Major League Soccer. ESPN could also emerge after all, but it has failed to secure a new deal within its exclusive negotiation period.
There is an appetite for Formula 1 in the United States. The 2024 Miami Grand Prix averaged 3.1 million viewers, the most ever for F1 racing in the States. Netflix is banking on that continued success, plus Drive to Survive’s popularity, to turn live racing into the next big streaming sensation.
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