2021 Drivers’ Championship leader Max Verstappen has chosen not to take part in Netflix’s Drive to Survive show, stating that he doesn’t enjoy being part of it.
Verstappen believes that the show creates fake rivalries and that it was dramatic, which he doesn’t like.
“I understand that it needs to be done to boost the popularity in America. But from my side as a driver, I don’t like being part of it. They faked a few rivalries, which, they don’t really exist. So I decided to not be a part of it and did not give any more interviews after that because then there is nothing you can show. I am not really a dramatic show kind of person; I just want facts and real things to happen,” said the Dutch driver.
Verstappen took a shot at the show, by stating that he may be seen as a rival of Lewis Hamilton on the Netflix show.
“Probably in the Netflix show we will be. We one time bumped into each other walking, so probably that will be in there. The problem is they will always position you in a way they want, so whatever you say they will try to make you look reckless or try to make you…whatever fits the story of the series,” said the 24-year-old.
The Dutchman prefers one-on-one interviews with interviewers that would like to get to know him. Verstappen’s decision to not feature on the show will be a disappointment for his fans, which seems to be a huge number going by a recent study. A survey by Nielsen Sports revealed this past week that Verstappen is the most popular F1 driver on the grid currently.
British drivers Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton came third and fourth in that poll, followed by Norris’ McLaren teammate Daniel Ricciardo. Sebastian Vettel, Charles LeClerc, and Fernando Alonso came next on the list, according to the fans.
Verstappen, who became the youngest driver in F1 history at the Australian Grand Prix in 2015, is seen as the driver to be the future of F1. In 135 F1 races so far, the Dutch driver has won 17 races and been on the podium 54 times.
He has the best chance of winning his first Drivers’ Championship this year, as he has a competitive Red Bull car and is ahead of seven-time world champion Hamilton by a couple of points. There are six races to go in the season with the United States Grand Prix, the next race on the F1 calendar.
