The first reviews for Drive to Survive season eight are in, and it appears that Netflix have ignored one major storyline.
The 2026 Formula One season is now just over a week away, with the opening race taking place at Melbourne's Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit on 8 March.
Of course, with the start of a new F1 season comes the release of a new season of the popular Netflix series Drive to Survive, a show that reflects on the previous Formula One campaign.
After such a dramatic 2025 season, many fans have been excited to see exactly what Netflix has decided to focus on for the eight episodes of the new season.
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However, ahead of the official release on Friday, it has been revealed that there is a massive omission from season eight of Drive to Survive.
The 2025 Formula One season was one of the most dramatic in recent years, with Christian Horner's dismissal at Red Bull, the brutal sacking of Liam Lawson and, of course, Nico Hulkenberg finally getting his podium just some of the most notable moments.
But for many fans, when we look back on the 2025 season there is just one phrase that will come to mind, papaya rules.
Throughout the 2025 season, the 'papaya rules' were a hot topic as McLaren allowed both drivers to fight for the title right up until the final race, despite some claims that eventual World Champion Lando Norris was favoured.
Despite this, a report from RacingNews365 has revealed that papaya rules debate is a 'glaring omission' from the new season of Drive to Survive.
The outlet was given the chance to watch season eight early and has claimed that McLaren's controversial team order swap at the Italian Grand Prix, Norris' one-stop win in Hungary and the Brit's dangerous move on Piastri at Turn 2 in Singapore are all cut from the Netflix series.
Instead, Drive to Survive only covers the battle between the McLaren fair up until Norris' home victory at the British Grand Prix, noting his struggles at the start of the season while Piastri surged to four wins in the opening six rounds.
Meanwhile, McLaren CEO Zak Brown is said to have a significant role in the season, somewhat filling the gap left by Horner's departure.
So much so, that it is claimed that the American gets significantly more airtime than some of the drivers, some of which don't appear at all in the show.
Thankfully, all of the other major storylines are included in Drive to Survive's coverage of the 2025 Formula One season, but it is reportedly done so in a much more PR-friendly way, rather than the exciting behind-the-scenes shots that made the show so popular.
Topics: McLaren, Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, Formula 1
Ben McCrum