Netflix has officially confirmed Drive to Survive season 9, with the next instalment of the Formula 1 docuseries scheduled to arrive in 2027 and focus on the major stories developing throughout the 2026 championship.
The renewal comes as little surprise given the continued prominence of Formula 1: Drive to Survive on the streaming platform. Netflix cameras have again been present around the paddock throughout the season, following drivers and teams as the championship unfolds and collecting the behind-the-scenes material that will form the basis of the ninth series.
Drive to Survive season 9 will focus on Formula 1’s 2026 changes
One of the central themes is expected to be Formula 1’s new technical regulations and the effect they have had on the competitive order. The championship entered a new rules era in 2026, giving Netflix a substantial technical and sporting reset around which to build the season.
The series will cover a campaign featuring several major changes to the grid. Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas returned to Formula 1, while Cadillac joined the championship as the 11th team. The full shape of the campaign can be followed through the 2026 Formula 1 calendar, with the season still to be completed before Netflix packages its story for release.
Drive to Survive season 9 is expected to premiere in 2027, with its launch likely to follow the familiar pattern of arriving roughly a week before the start of the next Formula 1 season.
Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc set for attention
Ferrari is naturally expected to occupy an important part of the series as the Maranello team continues with Lewis Hamilton alongside Charles Leclerc. Their partnership gives Netflix one of the most prominent driver combinations on the grid as the Scuderia navigates Formula 1’s new era.
Kimi Antonelli is another figure expected to receive significant attention. The young Mercedes driver has climbed through the championship picture, while his relationship and competition with team-mate George Russell offers the type of intra-team storyline that Drive to Survive traditionally emphasises. Netflix’s established dramatic presentation is therefore expected to place added focus on the dynamic between the Mercedes pair.
Max Verstappen’s future and Cadillac returnees among key stories
Max Verstappen’s future at Red Bull is also likely to feature. The Dutch driver recently reiterated his intention to remain with the team, giving the series another major storyline to explore as it recounts the events surrounding the 2026 season.
There should also be room for developments further down the grid. Williams has endured numerous difficulties during the campaign, leaving the team fighting towards the back, while Aston Martin has also experienced a challenging season after its Adrian Newey-linked project had generated major expectations.
Aston Martin’s year has not lived up to those early hopes, although the team has begun to show signs of gradual recovery. Those contrasting fortunes, together with Cadillac’s arrival and the Formula 1 returns of Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas, give Netflix several storylines beyond the championship’s leading teams.
With the 2026 season still unfolding, the complete narrative of Drive to Survive season 9 has yet to be determined. What is already confirmed is that Formula 1’s regulatory overhaul, Ferrari’s high-profile driver pairing, Mercedes’ internal dynamic, Verstappen’s Red Bull future and the changing shape of the grid will provide Netflix with no shortage of material when the series returns in 2027.
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