Damon Hill reveals secret behind Drive to Survive’s Formula 1 success

According to GQ, Damon Hill — 1996 Formula 1 world champion — reveals that Drive to Survive’s success lies in its ability to present personal stories of figures behind the races.

“Formula 1 is served up in an entertaining, intriguing, and stimulating way — perfect for those unfamiliar with the sport,” explains the British driver.

“Every episode is a small story into someone’s life, whether they’ve had their appendix out and coming back from that, or whether their season’s gone off the rails and they’re coming back from that. These things can’t be shown on live TV.”

The documentary series has driven a surge in F1’s popularity in the United States — something Hill says wouldn’t have happened under Bernie Ecclestone’s leadership, which preferred restricting access to increase demand.

Executive producer James Gay-Rees states that despite Red Bull’s dominance in the 2023 season, the production team found plenty of compelling stories to tell — nearly increasing the episode count from their usual number.

Drive to Survive recently won the Emmy for Outstanding Sports Documentary Series – Serialised for its sixth season.