Drive to Survive Season 9 is coming and F1 fans already know six storylines Netflix can't ignore

After eight seasons of dramatising the Formula 1 action, bringing in a wealth of new viewers to the sport, Netflix has renewed Drive to Survive for Season 9.

With the return of Formula 1 action after the summer break, which saw Lando Norris emerge victorious in an action-packed Dutch Grand Prix, Netflix announced that Season 9 of Drive to Survive is on the way.

Notorious for unraveling key talking points throughout the season - although divisive for some fans who noticed disparities in radio comms being used from different races - the Netflix drama has championed beloved drivers like Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo.

Season 8 covered a lot of ground from a blockbuster 2025 campaign, getting to the bottom of Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari struggles and the championship fight between the two McLaren rivals.

When is Drive to Survive Season 9 coming out?

Netflix announced the return of Drive to Survive on August 24, 2026, hot off the back of the season's return to action after the mid-season break.

However, we won't be getting Season 9 on our screens any time soon. Usually, the Drive to Survive seasons air roughly two to four weeks before the next F1 campaign, covering the entire season before.

The 2026 F1 season will run until December 6 this year, with the 2027 format yet to have been revealed.

However, most of the first races of the F1 circuit have been green-lit for March (aside from the post-pandemic 2021 season in 2021 which started in July), meaning the Drive to Survive season has come two months after the final race.

Season 9 is expected to follow suit, arriving in late February or early March 2027.

Six key storylines that are sure to feature on Drive to Survive Season 9

1. Mercedes set the bar with new engine regulations

This year started in an entirely new fashion, with a wealth of new engine regulations being put in place to mark the end of the DRS era.

Drive to Survive Season 9 will likely start there, as Mercedes started the season with a vastly superior car and were accused of 'hiding' engine data.

Expect to see a lot of Zak Brown and Toto Wolff again in Episode One.

2. Antonelli vs Russell

The start of the 2026 season saw Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell lead the pack, using their quicker car to press home an early advantage. But while Mercedes would have been happy to be in a winning position, the internal fight between the drivers caused chaos that will continue to spiral into the latter end of the season.

It's an internal battle that we might see appear multiple times in Drive to Survive, with Antonelli getting the better of Russell in the first half of the year, while Mercedes faces the hard decision of which driver to back going into the title crunch.

3. Max Verstappen Red Bull crashes (rear wing talk), McLaren links, and new contract

Undoubtedly, the biggest talking point of the season so far has been Max Verstappen. The four-time World Champion spent 2025 fighting with Red Bull, who couldn't provide him with a car that matched his skills, pushing the RB21 to its limits in a last-ditch effort to make the greatest comeback of all time.

This year is more of the same, with Red Bull being at fault for multiple crashes for Verstappen, experimenting with a rear wing that directly resulted in him spinning out twice.

The Dutchman has been at odds with Red Bull again and opened contract talks with McLaren, which will likely be a juicy episode for Drive to Survive.

4. Cadillac's shocking start

A new team was added to the grid for the first time in years, expanding the circuit to 11 teams. Cadillac signed veteran drivers Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez to pilot the new cars, but there's not been much competition from the American brand.

The new regulations meant that Cadillac went into the season blind and has all but committed to running at the bottom of the pack this year.

It's not been without fireworks, though, as disastrous retirements saw drivers clash with the media, as operating the worst car in F1 history is taking its toll.

5. Lewis Hamilton's comeback

Fan-favourite Lewis Hamilton appears only a few times in Drive to Survive, but the famed Brit will definitely be the focus of at least one episode this year, as he and celebrity girlfriend Kim Kardashian have been dominating the camera attention in the paddock this year.

Hamilton's rough 2025 season is now behind him, and with a first win in Ferrari colours topping off a stellar renaissance in Formula 1, a focus on his own title charge will be a popular episode.

Yet, at the halfway mark of the season, it won't all be smiles and cheers, as the driver continues to clash with Ferrari, making for a tasty second half of the year.

6. McLaren fight back and a four-way championship fight

With a lot of racing left to go, and ten episodes of content to film, there is bound to be plenty of action in Drive to Survive Season 9 that hasn't happened yet.

But all roads end with one driver lifting the Drivers' Championship trophy, and the race to be crowned victorious is heating up thanks to back-to-back race wins from Lando Norris.

The reigning champion is back in contention for the title, as are Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Antonelli, and George Russell.