Carlos Sainz told The Race co‑founder Darren Cox at an Axios‑The Race Cannes Lions panel that letting Netflix film his private life during the first season of Drive to Survive was a “game‑changing” move for both his own profile and Formula 1’s global expansion.
Although the 31‑year‑old described himself as a very private person, he let crews into his Mallorca home and captured family moments in 2018. When the series premiered, he saw his social following swell by roughly half a million in two weeks, and he linked that surge to the sport’s broader transformation under Liberty Media and the pandemic‑driven viewership spike. He recalled attending the Austin Grand Prix before the Netflix era to find modest crowds, then returning two years later to an “insane” turnout, underscoring how the show helped draw new fans, especially in the United States.
Sainz added that the exposure has turned drivers into brand ambassadors who must guard their image and partnerships. He also used the platform to promote the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, personally testing the circuit’s proximity to the city centre by riding the metro. His eight‑minute door‑to‑door simulation demonstrates the organisers’ aim to make the race reachable by public transport, a selling point that could set a new standard for future events.
