As part of revamping the sport and making it more viewer-friendly, Formula 1 and Netflix have announced a season-long collaboration that will result in a an original docu-series. The collaboration will last for the 2018 FIA Formula 1 World Championship and will provide in a glimpse into the inner world of the sport. Netflix has commissioned 10 episodes of the series, which will be screened in early 2019. For motorsport enthusiasts, the series will certainly be a treat and all the more reason to 'Netflix and chill'.
The announcement says that the Netflix original series will be "the first to truly immerse the audience inside the cockpits, the paddock and the lives of the key players in Formula 1." The makers will have unparalleled and exclusive access to the world's fastest drivers, team principals and owners, as well as Formula 1's own management team.
Sean Bratches, F1 Managing Director of Commercial Operations said, "Formula 1 is a global sport that we are actively repositioning from a motorsport company to a media and entertainment brand. The agreement with Netflix serves to chronicle the fascinating story of what transpires behind the scenes during a grand prix season. This is a perspective of the sport that has yet to be unveiled to fans around the world. This series will unleash a compelling vantage point to the sport that will delight fans and serve as a catalyst to entice new fans."
Also Read: F1: Sebastian Vettel Beats Lewis Hamilto To Win 2018 Australia GP
The series will be executive-produced by Academy-Award winner James Gay Rees, who previously produced the award winning feature length documentary 'Senna', and joining him will be Paul Martin for Box to Box Films. Sophie Todd will be the showrunner for the series. The announcement said the production team will film the heart, soul and direction that the multi-billion dollar sport is going to take.
Ian Holmes, Director of Media rights said, "We are delighted to welcome a Netflix Original to Formula 1, a brand which has screened so many successful productions. This collaboration represents a new way of capturing our sport in all of its exciting aspects. There is nothing like F1, its layers of engineering complexity, allied to the enormity of human endeavour required to get through a Grand Prix season. The chance to present our sport through Netflix, to their worldwide audience, in an original and unique format, is something that we are very much looking forward to. This is a tremendous opportunity to showcase F1 and attract new fans to the sport."
Bela Bajaria, Vice President of Content for Netflix said, "This partnership with Formula 1 furthers our mission of working with world-class brands and production partners to produce best-in-class unscripted series."
Given the on-track action coupled with the business talks and policitcs behind closed doors, F1 is nothing short of a soap opera. That, in our opinion makes for an exciting series to look forward to. Could we get the preview of what F1's format will be like in 2021? Certainly something we will be watching out for with the new engine rules, teams, sponsors and budgets yet to be announced.
Meanwhile, the 2018 season started with a bang earlier today as Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel won the season opener in Melbourne beating Lewis Hamilton. The race with several retirements promises an intense fight between the top two teams in the 20 remaining races.
