The Guenther Steiner way – Drive To Survive's 'reality TV superstar' and the show's impact in the US

Special ContributorMatt Youson
LUSAIL CITY, QATAR - OCTOBER 05: Haas F1 Team Principal Guenther Steiner walks in the PaddockLUSAIL CITY, QATAR - OCTOBER 05: Haas F1 Team Principal Guenther Steiner walks in the Paddock during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Qatar at Lusail International Circuit on October 05, 2023 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Back in 2018, a camera crew invaded the F1 paddock. In the manner of these things, it was, then wasn’t, a big deal. Teams got used to the boom mike hovering over their conversations; the (extremely) skilled film crew, adept at fading into the background, didn’t get in the way and no-one really paid it much heed.

This unnamed Netflix fly-on-the-wall documentary didn’t particularly matter. Mercedes and Ferrari, in entirely predictable fashion, decided such things were an unwelcome distraction and declined to take part – championships to contest and all that.