Netflix's 'Drive to Survive' ratings crashing after uncompetitive F1 season

Is the decline in ratings for "Drive to Survive," Netflix's groundbreaking Formula One documentary series, a sign of trouble for the auto racing circuit?

Season 6, released a week ago, saw a precipitous 30% drop (h/t: SI.com) in viewers from season 5. To make matters worse, the viewers who did show up watched less of the show — season 6 saw a 15% drop in viewed hours from season 5 and a 22% drop from season 4, per racefans.net.

"Drive to Survive" launched in 2019 to rave reviews from fans and critics alike. The show offers a behind-the-scenes view into the F1 paddock and features exclusive interviews with drivers, team principals and F1 journalists. 

It quickly became one of Netflix's most celebrated sports programs, drawing millions of viewers and increasing F1's popularity across the United States. Fans of the show became fans of the sport, and networks such as ESPN reported increased viewership numbers as a direct result of "Drive to Survive."

"What I've noticed lately is pretty much everywhere I go in different parts of the world, I can see the popularity of the sport growing so much," Red Bull driver Sergio Perez said last year. "It's great for F1 to finally make it in the U. S. market."