It’s the time of the year for a new Formula 1 season to commence, but before that, we’re getting a look back at the 2023 season with “Formula 1: Drive to Survive.”
Netflix announced that the sixth season of their F1 documentary series will return Feb. 23. The new episodes will recap the highlights of the 2023 Formula 1 season and, of course, include behind-the-scenes content with all the F1 drivers.
What can we expect in Season Six of 'Drive to Survive'?
Many on the cast are returning drivers, team principals and crew, but we have newcomers as well, with rookie drivers Oscar Piastri and Logan Sargeant taking their places on the grid.
The dominating team is obvious, with Red Bull Racing taking home the 2023 constructor championship with 860 points. But there was one driver that stood out: Max Verstappen.
He started the season with two world driver championships and ended it with three. He scored 575 out of his team’s 860 points, winning 19 out of 22 races.
But how did the other nine teams stand up against the reigning champions? As the new "Drive to Survive" season will show, a push from Ferrari made them the only other team to win a race this season.
Mercedes fought hard to place second, but their fight got them less than half of the points Red Bull got, and over a hundred less than Verstappen alone, ending the season with 409 points, three more than Ferrari.
Based on F1’s 2023 season, here is what we can expect from the cast in the upcoming season of “Drive to Survive.”
Oracle Red Bull Racing
Team Principal: Christian Horner
The Red Bull Racing team principal fights to keep the team's title in what seems like an effortless year for the team.
Horner led his drivers to 21 wins throughout the 22-race season, taking home another constructor championship for Red Bull, a world driver championship for Verstappen, and his drivers placing first and second in the 2023 driver standings.
Drivers: Sergio Pérez and Max Verstappen
Nineteen race wins and a third world consecutive championship is what Verstappen achieved in 2023. Alone, he gained more points through the season than any other team combined. Verstappen started and ended the season as the reigning F1 champion.
While he did not necessarily reach Verstappen's winning rate, Pérez managed to place second in the 2023 driver standings. Since joining Red Bull Racing in 2021, Pérez has been driving alongside Verstappen. But how has he dealt with placing below his teammate, who won every title since then?
Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team
Team Principal: Toto Wolff
The Mercedes team principal is no stranger to the F1 grid. He's been Mercedes' lead since 2013, and this season, pushed the team up to second place.
But the win did not come without struggles. He found himself going head-to-head with Ferrari for second place toward the end of the season.
Drivers: George Russell and Lewis Hamilton
Hamilton has been on the team since 2013. The seven-time world champion came back for a strong season, but not strong enough to pass the Red Bull drivers.
He placed third in the driver standings, right behind Verstappen and Pérez, in a season that would soon be revealed to be one of his last with Mercedes.
Russell raced another season alongside his British teammate, but still placed lower than Hamilton. He landed the eighth spot on the driver standings in 2023, but his contributions pushed Mercedes up to second place.
Scuderia Ferrari
Team Principal: Fred Vasseur
The team principal has been on the show previously, but it is his first time wearing Ferrari red, taking over for Mattia Binotto.
Before Ferrari, Vasseur was the team principal of Alfa Romeo Sauber, reuniting with Charles Leclerc, who drove for Sauber in 2018.
Vasseur’s first year on the team is not left without ups and downs, but he also achieved a race win that would make Ferrari one of two teams to win a race in 2023. Ferrari placed third in the constructor standings, just four points away from nabbing second place.
Drivers: Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc
2023 marked Leclerc’s fifth year with Ferrari, and sixth in Formula 1. The Monegasque pushes through the season but does not win a Grand Prix.
He ranked fifth in the 2023 driver standings, but also had difficulties. Closer to the end of the season, he puts up a fight with the top team, going head-to-head with Red Bull in Las Vegas, and finds himself starting from pole position multiple times.
Sainz stood on the top of the podium steps at the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix. While the Spanish driver only achieved one race win during the season, it was a great achievement for him and his team.
The win made him one of three drivers to win a race, and the only team other than Red Bull. But the Spaniard still finished below his teammate in the driver standings in seventh place.
McLaren F1 Team
Team Principal: Andrea Stella
Stella made his debut as McLaren’s team principal in 2023, which also included a new driver, too.
Stella had two young drivers under his wing, working with Lando Norris for the fifth year on the team and Oscar Piastri for his first year in F1. McLaren had a great year, coming in fourth place in the constructor standings.
Drivers: Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris
Not only was 2023 Piastri’s first season at McLaren, but also his first season in F1.
The rookie made his mark, though, and provided decent results. In 22 races, he managed to stand on the podium two times, and even took home a win at the Qatar Spring race.
Back in his seat, Norris took on his fifth season at McLaren. Norris pushed his way up the leaderboard but was just one point away from claiming his stop in the top five on the driver standings.
Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team
Team Principal: Mike Krack
Krack replaced Otmar Szafnauer as the team principal of Aston Martin, making him a new member to the "Drive to Survive" cast. Prior to joining the team, Krack led BMW’s global motorsport operation since 2014, according to Aston Martin.
Aston Martin came in fifth place in the constructor standings.
Drivers: Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll
The sixth season of the Netflix series will show Alonso joining Aston Martin and becoming a top contender in all the races. The Spaniard would end up being a formidable opponent and come in fourth place in the driver standings.
As for Stroll, the young driver has been part of the team since 2021. Last year, he came in 10th place.
BWT Alpine F1 Team
Team Principal: Otmar Szafnauer
Viewers will get to see how the 2023 season ended up being Szafnauer's last with the team. In July, Alpine announced that they would be parting ways with the team principal after the Belgian Grand Prix.
Szafnauer, who joined Alpine as team chief in February 2022, was replaced by Bruno Famin. Alpine came in sixth place in the constructor standings.
Drivers: Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly
Ocon has been with the team since 2021, but 2023 marked Gasly's first time with Alpine. Tensions ran high with the two young drivers who have competed against each other over the course of their careers.
During the 2023 season, Ocon placed 12th in the driver standings, while Gasly came in 11th place.
Alfa Romeo
Team Representative: Alessandro Alunni Bravi
In another season shake-up, Bravi, Sauber group managing director, was appointed "team representative" for 2023.
In the company's announcement, they mentioned that Bravi would represent Alpine in all official race weekends and away from the track functions. Bravi pushed his team to ninth place in the constructor standings.
Drivers: Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas
Both Guanyu and Bottas have both been on Alfa Romeo since 2022, marking Season Six of "Drive to Survive" their sophomore season documenting their time on the team.
Guanyu, who is China's first F1 driver, would end the season in 18th place. Bottas, who was previously on Mercedes, placed 15th in the driver standings.
Williams Racing
Team Principal: James Vowles
2023 was Vowles' first season as Williams' team principal, replacing Jost Capito. He took over the team leading his two drivers, one of which is new to the sport.
He pushed Williams up to seventh place in 2023.
Drivers: Alexander Albon and Logan Sargeant
Albon is no stranger to the sport or the team, as he joined Williams in 2022 and the sport in 2019. In his second season at the team, he placed 13th. Sargeant, however, came into 2023 as a rookie.
In his first season at the team and the sport, he did not manage to place higher than 10th in a race.
Scuderia AlphaTauri
Team Principal: Franz Tost
2023 would mark Tost's final year as team principal before being replaced with Laurent Mekies for the 2024 season.
Additionally, the team underwent a name change for the upcoming season and is currently named Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team.
Drivers: Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda
Fan-favorite Ricciardo became a member of AlphaTauri in 2023, so viewers will see the Aussie in his first year with the team.
As for Tsunoda, the driver has been on the team since 2021 and has competed in 66 races thus far. Viewers will see how Ricciardo came in 17th place in the driver standings, while Tsunoda fared better in 14th place.
MoneyGram Haas F1 Team
Team Principal: Guenther Steiner
It was a difficult year for the team principal, with Haas ranking last. Steiner, who became a fan-favorite for his role in “Drive to Survive,” led the team since 2016 and was one of F1’s longest-serving team principals, according to F1’s website.
Ayao Komatsu would go on to replace Steiner as team principal for the 2024 season.
Drivers: Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg
Hulkenberg had his first season with the American team in 2023. Magnussen has previously driven for Haas from 2017 to 2020, before returning in 2023.
While both have long F1 careers, this season came with some difficulties. Hulkenberg came in 16th place, while Magnussen was 19th.
