The eve of the United States Grand Prix did nothing but create, among American fans, an atmosphere of ever-growing enthusiasm and anticipation for the Austin event. The reception of Formula 1 in Texas was even warmer also due to the effect of the Netflix docu-series “Drive to Survive”, which literally conquered the stars and stripes audience. However, regarding this production, there have been some direct protagonists of the Circus who have expressed negative opinions on the series, launched in its fourth season after the launch in 2019. Among these, the harshest comment came from the current leader of the ranking world champion Max Verstappen, who criticized the show’s tendency to simulate rivalries and circumstances that, he says, don’t exist in everyday reality. For this reason, the Dutchman of Red Bull has therefore stressed his will to not participate in the series, also denying the willingness to give interviews on this topic.
The clear stance of Mad Max sparked mixed reactions from audiences and fans of “Drive to Survive”, but he also pushed several prominent figures in the paddock to defend the Dutchman’s thinking and choice. Among them is the Haas team principal Gunther Steiner, who thus supported Verstappen’s decision during the pre-GP press conference: “If Max didn’t want to be part of the series – declared the manager from Bolzano – it is his choice that I would not criticize. He is free to participate or not, and he is not obliged. Consequently, we shouldn’t have an opinion on it. If you feel that you have not been portrayed well, it is your full right not to take part in it. Obviously the fans miss the chance to see Max, because I think he is first and foremost a good driver, but he is also an important character.“.
Steiner himself, despite being included in several episodes, does not seem to have a particular feeling with the Netflix work: when asked to express an opinion on his own image portrayed in the series, the number one of Haas briefly replied that he did not know anything, doing therefore to understand that he has never seen the documentary. Verstappen’s opinion on the latter is also partially shared by the CEO of McLaren Zak Brown, which nevertheless highlighted the great success it is experiencing in the United States: “Netflix was great for Formula 1 – commented the American manager – it has increased the interest in the sport in the younger ones, and in general it has had a great impact in America. From what I can see it seems that a little theatricality is added to the real facts, but this is television ”.
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