Drive to Survive Season 9 is on its way, and F1 fans already have six big stories they’re excited to see on Netflix!
After eight exciting seasons bringing Formula 1 drama to Netflix and attracting lots of new fans, Drive to Survive is officially coming back for Season 9. With the thrilling return of F1 after the summer break—where Lando Norris won a packed Dutch Grand Prix—Netflix confirmed the new season is on its way.
Known for sparking plenty of conversation throughout each season, Drive to Survive has sometimes been controversial, especially with differences in how race radio chats were shown. Still, it’s helped highlight popular drivers like Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo.
Season 8 covered a huge 2025 season, digging into Lewis Hamilton’s challenges with Ferrari and the championship battle between the two McLaren drivers. Netflix made the Season 9 announcement on August 24, 2026, right after F1 returned from its mid-season break.
But don’t expect Season 9 right away. Usually, the show comes out about two to four weeks before the next F1 season starts, covering the previous season from start to finish. The 2026 F1 season will wrap up on December 6, and the 2027 schedule is still unconfirmed.
Most of the first races next year are set for March, so Drive to Survive Season 9 should arrive in late February or early March 2027, a couple of months after the final race. This season began with big changes, including new engine rules ending the DRS era.
Season 9 will probably start there, with Mercedes kicking off with a strong car amid some accusations of “hiding” engine data. Expect to see plenty of Zak Brown and Toto Wolff in the first episode.
The 2026 season launch had Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell leading, using their fast car early on. But their internal rivalry caused some chaos that is likely to keep growing as the season goes on. That battle might show up several times in the new season, as Antonelli got the upper hand in the first half, while the team faces tough choices on who to support for the title fight.
One of the biggest stories so far is Max Verstappen. The four-time World Champion struggled in 2025 with Red Bull, who couldn’t give him a car that matched his skill, pushing the RB21 to its limits trying for a comeback. This year, it’s more of the same, with Red Bull partly to blame for crashes and experimenting on parts that caused Verstappen to spin out twice.
Verstappen has also clashed with Red Bull off the track and started contract talks with McLaren, which will likely make for an exciting episode.
There’s also a new team this year—Cadillac is back on the grid after a long time, expanding to 11 teams. They brought in veterans Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez, but the new rules meant Cadillac was flying blind and stuck at the back of the field this season. Still, there’s been drama, with some fiery retirements and tense moments between drivers and the media, as driving one of the worst cars in F1 history takes its toll.
Lewis Hamilton, a fan favorite, only appears a few times this season but will definitely get some spotlight. The British star, along with his famous girlfriend Kim Kardashian, has been attracting lots of attention in the paddock. After a tough 2025, Hamilton’s winning his first race in Ferrari colors, making for a popular episode focusing on his comeback.
But it’s not all smooth sailing—Hamilton is still clashing with Ferrari midway through the season, promising an intense second half.
With plenty of races and ten episodes to film, Season 9 will have lots of new action still to come. But as always, it ends with one driver lifting the championship trophy. The fight is heating up with Lando Norris winning back-to-back races and the reigning champ back in the mix, along with Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Antonelli, and George Russell all battling for the title.