"I don't need to watch": Oscar Piastri reveals why he won’t be watching the latest "Drive to Survive" season

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri has added his voice to the growing list of Formula 1 drivers expressing skepticism about Netflix’s Drive to Survive. As he prepares for his home race at the Australian Grand Prix and comes at the fourth place at the timesheets in FP1, Piastri’s remarks reflect the mounting criticism surrounding the docuseries’ creative editing and storytelling tactics.

The seventh season of Drive to Survive was released on March 7, 2025, but it has faced significant backlash for manipulating narratives to heighten drama. Speaking to the media, including Motorsport.com, Piastri admitted that he hasn’t yet watched the latest season. "I haven't watched [it yet], to be honest. I feel like I have a pretty good idea of what happens, so I don't need to watch it again on TV," he stated.
Piastri’s hesitation stems from how the series is known to reshape events for dramatic effect. "Obviously there's a lot of things in Drive to Survive that, you know, you never quite know how it's been cut up," he added, hinting at the disconnect between real-life events and their on-screen portrayal.

Piastri isn’t alone in his criticism. Mercedes driver George Russell also admitted that he hasn’t watched the series, particularly the episode highlighting his struggles at the Singapore Grand Prix. Russell acknowledged the creative liberties taken, saying, "I've got to be honest, I've not seen the episode in full. I did hear and I was fed back that it was like two extremes from the first half to the last half. But ultimately I don't really care how I'm portrayed there." Russell emphasized that his focus remains on his performance and teamwork rather than how he’s represented on-screen. "There's always an agenda for the best storyline possible, and that's just the way the world is with these entertainment programmes," he remarked.
Russell also reflected on the challenges of the Singapore Grand Prix, describing it as physically taxing. "Singapore was an exceptionally tough race for me last year. I think the body temperature was almost 42 degrees last year and when you think a fever is 40 degrees, 42 degrees in a race car is pretty exceptional," he revealed. Efforts have been made to address the heat challenges, with new equipment from Adidas aimed at improving cockpit conditions.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc also shared his thoughts on the show’s portrayal of his Monaco Grand Prix win in the episode titled Le Curse of Leclerc. Leclerc downplayed the impact of the cameras during the race, noting that the filming process felt routine. "It was seamless and the Drive to Survive crew was not taking any place in what was a normal race weekend for me at home," Leclerc explained. Though he hasn’t watched the episode yet, he assured, "I will soon, I promise."
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As Drive to Survive continues to be a double-edged sword for the sport—boosting F1’s global popularity while stirring discontent among drivers—the tension between authenticity and entertainment remains a hot topic in the paddock.