IN NUMBERS: The incredible figures behind seven seasons of Drive to Survive

Formula 1 header templates - 2025-03-07T173203.182.png

Formula 1 fans get to enjoy a post-testing treat this week as the seventh season of Drive to Survive lands on Netflix. But just how much goes into producing a show that follows all 10 teams and 20 drivers around the world year in, year out? With help from the talented team at production company Box To Box, F1.com runs through some key numbers…

1

Early episodes in each season can be put together by just one editor and edit producer, with plenty of time between content being captured and the release date.

However, later episodes – which typically include footage from the final races of the previous campaign – will often be created by a group of editors. The differences can be seen in the end credits for each episode.

6

On selected Grand Prix weekends, the Drive to Survive crew shoot with up to six main cameras. Additional rig cameras are also used around the paddock – for example, GoPros being placed along the pit wall.

Drive to Survive’s crew members have embedded themselves in the F1 paddock for some seven years

12

Making the series is a 12-month operation for Box To Box. Around filming, edits start in the summer and run until late-January. Delivery of episodes to Netflix typically needs to be completed by mid-February.

20

Sound is another incredibly important factor. Up to 20 radio mics can be in play at races, along with camera sound and boom mics to capture more candid moments.

EXCLUSIVE: How Drive to Survive covered Hamilton’s bombshell Ferrari move – and the ripple effect on the rest of the F1 grid

24

Crews attend every Grand Prix on the F1 calendar, which now stands at 24 events. The size of the team varies from four to 16+, depending on the race in question.

50

The series is supplied in 50 frames per second to ensure the best possible quality and experience for viewers.

70

Following the launch of Season 7, there will be 70 episodes of Drive to Survive available on Netflix – stretching all the way back to 2019.

100+

Box To Box are also given access to the various F1 race feeds – including 24+ track cameras, up to 80 onboard cameras, plus helicopter and RF roaming cameras. These get delivered by F1 a few days after each Grand Prix.

EXCLUSIVE: ‘He embraced the series’ – How ‘charismatic’ Ricciardo took on a starring role in Drive To Survive

160

When grouping the production, edit, post-production and delivery teams, 160 people work on each season of Drive to Survive before it hits screens around the world.

190

On that note, the series is available in more than 190 countries – and is translated into more than 50 languages.

James Gay-Rees and Paul Martin are Executive Producers via their Box To Box production company

10,000

From seven years of production, almost 10,000 hours of footage has been captured by crews in and out of the F1 paddock.

90,000,000

Season 5 of Drive to Survive recorded more than 90 million viewing hours in its first few months (according to Netflix’s viewing data report).

WATCH: Behind The Broadcast – How F1 captures the Las Vegas Grand Prix

Unknown

Producers say they lost count of how many times former Haas team boss Guenther Steiner swore in footage captured…

The new series of Drive to Survive is available to watch on Netflix from March 7, one week ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 14-16. Click here to view every episode.