“Drive to Survive” Drives New Fans to Formula 1? Studying Viewer Experiences of a Sports Documentary and Its Influence on the Sport’s Fandom

This study investigates the influence of the sport docuseries Drive to Survive on Formula 1 fandom. Beyond its added entertainment value, this study was conducted to learn about the docuseries influence in bringing new fans to the sport—along with deepening the connection of existing fans. Semi-structured interviews of twelve participants who watched Netflix’s Formula 1: Drive to Survive docuseries were conducted. The participant pool included both non-Formula 1 fans and Formula 1 fans before watching the docuseries. Social Learning Theory was utilized to understand the ways that participants learned about the sport of Formula 1 through the docuseries. A thematic analysis was used to make sense of the findings, which produced three main themes: facilitates learning, social connections, and dramatization. These factors fostered Formula 1 fandom among participants, with two thirds of the participants crediting the docuseries for their newfound or raised fandom of the sport. Overall, this study provides insights on factors influencing fandom and the positive influence of the docuseries on the sport. Formula 1’s success with Drive to Survive can serve as a case study for other sports looking to expand their global reach and the value of an all-access sports documentary beyond the added entertainment value.