Why Formula 1 Fans Are Disappointed in 'Drive to Survive' Season 3

The third season of Drive to Survive landed on Netflix on Friday and provided viewers with the [...]

By John Newby

The third season of Drive to Survive landed on Netflix on Friday and provided viewers with the opportunity to revisit the unique 2020 season. The majority of fans expressed excitement, but a few voiced their displeasure about one key aspect. These viewers said that they were disappointed by the omission of two particular storylines.

There were several social media users posting about Drive to Survive and saying that the show's creators should have included the Turkish Grand Prix and the Sakhir Grand Prix. They explained that the race in Turkey was the best of the entire season for several reasons. Specifically, some said that seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton proved that he is a truly talented driver during this GP by combatting the rain and slippery track, shutting down conversations about whether he or the car is responsible for all of the success.

"I know Drive to Survive only have 10 episodes to fill an entire season... but not featuring the Turkish GP or George's drive at Sakhir was a massive shame," one fan commented. Others echoed this sentiment with continued discussions about whether the show is "worth watching" given that the Turkish GP is not included.

The fans were not the only ones expressing disappointment in the missed storylines. F1 driver George Russell also had some comments. He posted a photo of himself realizing that the Netflix series did not feature him at all. This omission understandably sparked comments considering how important Russell was to the Sakhir GP.

News surfaced late in 2020 that Hamilton had tested positive for COVID-19. He was unable to join the Mercedes team for the Sakhir GP and needed a replacement driver. Enter Russell. The Williams team released Russell from his contract so he could get behind the wheel of the Mercedes F1 car and try to find success.

Despite not scoring a point in 36 F1 starts, Russell came within 0.026 seconds of securing the pole position for the GP. Teammate Valtteri Bottas had a slightly faster time and sent Russell to the second qualifying spot. However, this qualifying session was only the start of the drama.

Russell took the lead from Bottas on Turn 1 and began to pull away from the pack. He was turning in an impressive performance and appeared to be destined for the win. However, disaster struck when the pit crew mounted the wrong tire on the Mercedes. Russell had to return to the pits and fell a lap down.

Despite the setback, Russell continued to push and came within reach of the lead once again. He only had to overtake Sergio Perez for the top spot, but another issue ruined his chances. A puncture to one of the tires sent Russell back to the pits and erased any hope of a spot on the podium.

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