By Alan Baldwin
LONDON (Reuters) – The fourth season of “F1: Drive for a Living,” the Netflix docuseries that turbocharges Formula 1 for new and younger audiences, opens on Friday with the series still committed to “marriage” with the streaming service, despite controversy and criticism.
The 10 new episodes offer a behind-the-scenes look at the 2021 season, one of the most exciting and hotly contested championships in motorsport.
“I think it’s a great partnership,” Greg Maffei, CEO of Liberty Media, the US-based owner of Formula 1, told analysts on a recent conference call.
“It has been a victory in every respect. Clearly, our sport has grown, not just in the US, but around the world. It’s a big deal for Netflix too. So I hope the marriage continues for a long time.”
Cumulative television viewership in the United States increased by 58% in 2021 year-on-year, according to F1 figures, with 400,000 fans making the US GP in Austin, Texas, the most-watched race of the last season.
The Netflix partnership has had its critics, however, with last year’s final showdown in Abu Dhabi prompting accusations that the integrity of the sport had been sacrificed in the name of entertainment.
Race director Michael Masi, who was later replaced, changed safety car procedures in a late move that allowed Red Bull’s Max Verstappen to win and avoid an eighth title for Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton.
McLaren’s Lando Norris later said he felt the act was made “for TV”.
The 2022 Formula 1 season starts in Bahrain on March 20.
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