Netflix to screen new Formula 1 documentary on 2018 season
A new Formula 1 documentary series based on the 2018 season will air on Netflix early next year
It comes on the heels of the successful Grand Prix Driver series about McLaren's troubled 2017 season, which was recently shown on Amazon.
The Netflix deal is also one of the first that the F1 organisation has concluded with a major global brand under Liberty's ownership.
Production company Box-to-Box Films has been granted full access to the F1 paddock, teams and drivers for the 10-episode series.
One of the men behind it is executive producer James Gay Rees, who was also responsible for the acclaimed Senna film and the Academy Award-winning Amy, as well as successful documentaries about Bansky and Oasis.
F1 says that the series will "reveal the intense fight for the heart, soul, and direction for the future of this multibillion-dollar business."
The deal has been well received by teams, whose sponsors now have the chance to reach an audience who might not follow regular race coverage.
McLaren executive director Zak Brown, who sanctioned the earlier Amazon series, said that the Netflix deal was a positive development for F1.
"It's really good news," he told Autosport. "Our Amazon Prime series went over really well with the fans, and showed them parts of the sport that no one's ever seen.
"The Netflix series will be a deep dive into the sport, as opposed to one team.
"I think some teams will give more access than others, by their choice.
"People who wouldn't normally be exposed to it will see it, find it fascinating, and hopefully that leads to more viewers."
Bela Bajaria, vice president of content for Netflix, said the F1 deal "furthers our mission of working with world-class brands and production partners to produce best-in-class unscripted series".
F1 commercial chief Sean Bratches hailed the Netflix deal as a significant step in Liberty's transformation of the championship.
"F1 is a global sport that we are actively repositioning from a motorsport company to a media and entertainment brand," he said.
"The agreement with Netflix serves to chronicle the fascinating story of what transpires behind the scenes during a grand prix season.
"This is a perspective of the sport that has yet to be unveiled to fans around the world.
"This series will unleash a compelling vantage point to the sport that will delight fans and serve as a catalyst to entice new fans."
Australian Grand Prix qualifying: Hamilton pole, Bottas crashes
Lewis Hamilton denies Mercedes 'party mode' key to Australia pole
Inside the Faenza facility where AlphaTauri’s F1 pragmatic vision is realised
AlphaTauri’s mission in F1 is to sell clothes and train young drivers rather than win the championship – but you still need a cutting-edge factory to do that. Team boss Franz Tost takes GP Racing’s OLEG KARPOV on a guided tour of a facility that’s continuing to grow
Connecting two of Ferrari's favourite F1 sons
Gilles Villeneuve's exploits behind the wheel of a Ferrari made him a legend to the tifosi, even 40 years after his death. The team's current Formula 1 star Charles Leclerc enjoys a similar status, and recently got behind the wheel of a very special car from the French-Canadian’s career
How a 30cm metal wire triggered open warfare in the F1 paddock
Porpoising has become the key talking point during the 2022 Formula 1 season, as teams battle to come to terms with it. An FIA technical directive ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix and a second stay appearing on the Mercedes cars only served to create a bigger debate and raise tensions further
Does Verstappen have any weaknesses left?
Having extended his Formula 1 points lead with victory in Canada, Max Verstappen has raised his game further following his 2021 title triumph. Even on the days where Red Bull appears to be second best to Ferrari, Verstappen is getting the most out of the car in each race. So, does he have any weaknesses that his title rivals can exploit?
How F1's future fuels can shape the automotive sector
In 2026, Formula 1 plans to make the switch to a fully sustainable fuel, as the greater automotive world considers its own alternative propulsion methods. Biogasoline and e-fuels both have merit as 'drop-in' fuels but, equally, both have their shortcomings...
The breakthrough behind Sainz’s best weekend of F1 2022 so far
OPINION: Carlos Sainz came close to winning in Monaco but needed that race’s specific circumstances for his shot at a maiden Formula 1 victory to appear. Last weekend in Canada, he led the line for Ferrari in Charles Leclerc’s absence from the front. And there’s a key reason why Sainz has turned his 2022 form around
Canadian Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2022
Plenty of high scores but just a single perfect 10 from the first Montreal race in three years, as Max Verstappen fended off late pressure from Carlos Sainz. Here’s Autosport’s assessment on the Formula 1 drivers from the Canadian Grand Prix
Why “faster” Ferrari couldn’t beat Red Bull in Canadian GP
On paper the Canadian Grand Prix will go down as Max Verstappen’s latest triumph, fending off late pressure from Carlos Sainz to extend his Formula 1 world championship lead. But as safety car periods, virtual and real, shook up the race Ferrari demonstrated it can take the fight to Red Bull after recent failures