Formula 1’s off-season slump is unbearably real. Fortunately for F1 fans, the wait is finally over with a new season of Netflix’s Formula 1 documentary series, Drive to Survive, which premiered on February 27.
On February 12, Netflix released the trailer for the series’ eighth season, which included hints about what the show will expand on while covering the 2025 season. Formula 1: Drive to Survive provides viewers with a behind-the-scenes look at each race season through the eyes of the drivers, breaking down each grand prix and season highlight from the 24-round calendar both on and off the track.
With the 2025 season serving as my introduction to the world of Formula 1, this season of Drive to Survive was my first in which I could personally recall specific details from watching it live during Grands Prix. With that said, here is a recap of some standout moments from the eighth season!
The Introduction of Six Rookie Drivers in the 2025 Season
New year, new drivers? The 2025 F1 season saw the grid make a dynamic shift, with six rookies stepping onto the scene. Liam Lawson, Jack Doohan, Oliver (Ollie) Bearman, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Gabriel Bortoleto, and Isack Hadjar comprised the rookie lineup. The new additions directly contrasted with the season prior, as the 2024 racing season became the first season in Formula 1’s 75-year history that did not feature a single rookie in its lineup. With six new contenders for the World Championship title, the 2025 season was shaping up to be a thrilling one!
Jack Doohan’s Demotion From Alpine
BREAKING: Franco Colapinto to race at least the next five races for Alpine in place of Jack Doohan#F1 pic.twitter.com/HLarDPmYP8
— Formula 1 (@F1) May 7, 2025
Jack Doohan, the son of five-time motorcycling world champion Mick Doohan, has had a lot to live up to as an Alpine driver. Doohan’s racing abilities were impressive enough to secure him an F1 seat through becoming the FIA Formula 3 championship runner-up in 2021. In 2022, he joined the Alpine team through their development plan, finishing sixth overall and third in the 2023 season. With him becoming a rookie in the 2025 season and securing his own spot among the world’s greatest drivers, he had a lot to show last year.
Unfortunately for Doohan, he was removed from the Alpine Team to act as a reserve driver after only six races due to a poor start with two DNFs (Did Not Finish) and no championship-winning points. He was later replaced by driver Franco Colapinto. While Doohan’s demotion was disappointing, it wasn’t the only replacement that the Drive to Survive touched on. Don’t worry – there’s more to come regarding the other line-up shifts!
Yuki Tsunoda Replacing Liam Lawson for the Second Red Bull Racing Seat
"It's tough, but I'm grateful for everything that's brought me to this point"
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 28, 2025
Liam Lawson shares his first message since Red Bull announced they would be replacing him for the Japanese Grand Prix 📩#F1 pic.twitter.com/9nphvC3cf0
The beginning of the 2025 racing season proved to be a challenging transition for Red Bull racing driver Liam Lawson. The Australian Grand Prix, where he DNF, acted as a difficult start for him. At the Chinese Grand Prix, he started from last place, qualifying for P20. After a string of Lawson’s failed attempts to score points for the team, Red Bull executives decided that Lawson would return to the Racing Bulls and Yuki Tsunoda, a Racing Bulls driver, would step up to the plate instead, replacing Lawson for the second Red Bull seat.
The demotion shocked fans and even Lawson himself. He addressed his disappointment to media personnel ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, sharing, “Obviously [it’s] an opportunity this weekend and maybe something I wasn’t expecting so early, but something that obviously is not my decision, and for me it’s about making the most of this opportunity now and still being in Formula 1…” With such a swift decision made in almost the very beginning of the racing season, this moment will undoubtedly highlight internal team tension in the docuseries.
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri’s McLaren Title Fight
A weekend to remember pic.twitter.com/egQcsfwFEB
— Oscar Piastri (@OscarPiastri) March 24, 2025
McLaren was the team to beat last year. Drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris were neck-and-neck for the World Champion title throughout the 2025 season, but with both drivers having what spectators viewed as the quickest car due to their back-to-back race wins, their competitiveness only increased, resulting in friction between the two teammates during races.
Norris collided with Piastri after both teammates fought for 4th position during the Canadian Grand Prix. The two made contact again during the Singapore Grand Prix’s first lap, when Norris took action to avoid Max Verstappen, which led to Piastri nearly colliding into the wall. The rivalry to see who would turn out to be the new #1 kept onlookers on the edges of their seats throughout the entirety of the 2025 season. In Drive to Survive, they alluded to the tension by featuring a surprise guest, none other than 2016 World Champion Nico Rosenburg, who recalls the psychological effects of engaging in teammate rivalry by citing his own experience with him and former Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton while he was still a driver!
Nico Hülkenberg’s Podium Finish
Nico Hülkenberg of Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber (now Audi) had one of the more heartwarming podium moments of the 2025 season. Hülkenberg made his F1 debut all the way back in 2010, but over the course of his 15-year career, he never finished on the podium… that is, until the 2025 British Grand Prix.
While McLaren drivers Norris and Piastri battled for P1 and P2, respectively, Hulkenberg finished in what could only be described as a movie magic moment, rising from P19 to P3 and even besting world-renowned driver Lewis Hamilton out of podium position for the race. Finishing third marked Hülkenberg’s highest podium position in his F1 career after only ever finishing as high as fourth in three other races previously.
Final Thoughts
With each episode, I was able to check off some of the boxes on my prediction list. While these were some of the standout moments that I took away from Drive to Survive, there was still much more from the race season to uncover, and there’s only one way to find out: by watching the most recent Drive to Survive season for yourself. With that said, I think the season release has made me even more excited to watch what happens during the 2026 season, which begins on March 6 with the Australian Grand Prix. Happy race week!
Want to learn more about Formula 1 and how drivers hope to get there? Check out nine iconic F1 Academy moments from Singapore here.
