McLaren CEO Zak Brown has urged the creators of Drive to Survive to focus more on the technological and strategic aspects of Formula 1. The Netflix series, which has opened up new markets and drawn a wide audience to the sport over the past seven years, currently focuses mainly on the drama and rivalry behind the scenes. However, according to Brown, fans would also benefit from a deeper understanding of the technology behind racing.
“I’ve been quite open with Netflix,” Brown said in How Leaders Lead, a podcast series by American businessman David Novak. “When we look at how we can grow our fan base and further develop our sport, the technology and strategy behind it are incredibly interesting. That’s a truly unique aspect of our sport.” The question, he believes, is how Drive to Survive can convey the world of engineers, data, and aerodynamics to a broad audience.
Terabytes for Dummies
“I think there are different levels of interest in technology,” Zak Brown acknowledged. “That’s why we need to present these topics at the right level, depending on our audience. People can gain more understanding and insight into what racing cars and drivers do. It’s impossible to fully describe how fast these cars are, but there are ways to make that clear through Drive to Survive.” Brown referred to the vast amount of data that Formula 1 teams have at their disposal. “We’re talking about terabytes of data,” he explained. “At first, I didn’t really know what that meant. I thought, ‘Give me Terabytes for Dummies‘, but that’s about ten million documents. That’s how much data we extract from a racing car.”
According to Brown, Netflix could use some of this information to further engage fans with the sport. “The fans are interested,” he said. “They love the thrill on the track, the drivers, and the teams. Now we can show them – in the right way – how our sport truly operates. I think people would be fascinated if they saw what I get to see on our pit wall.”
Changes in Formula 1 Audience Demographics
Finally, the McLaren chief discussed the changes in the demographics of the Formula 1 audience. “Drive to Survive has been a game-changer for the sport,” said Brown. “If only I had a dollar for every time someone told me, ‘Netflix brought me to Formula 1.’ Before the takeover by Liberty Media, the sport struggled to reach women, young people, and the North American market. The fact that we have now succeeded is largely thanks to Netflix. It’s amazing how much of an audience we appeal to these days.”
Brown particularly praised the fact that Formula 1 now attracts a young and diverse audience, especially in North America. “We have not only put ourselves on the map, we have truly become big – and that’s super cool to see.”
