McLaren rivalry in Netflix Drive to Survive 'like Top Gun' - Brown

McLaren CEO Zak Brown has likened Formula 1's Netflix series Drive to Survive to the movie Top Gun after the show portrayed tension between ex-team-mates Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris.

Series three of Drive to Survive was released last month and, whilst the show has been generally well-received, there has been criticism over-dramatisation during some episodes.

Brown pointed to the main aim of bringing in new viewers to the sport through the streaming service and suggested some of the storylines created a similarity to fighter jet movie Top Gun.

“I think Netflix has been great for F1," said Brown. "It was trending number one.

"I think it was number one in 25 countries so I think the primary goal of Netflix is to entertain and bring new viewers to Formula 1 and I think it has accomplished that 10-fold which is great.

“I think when you live in this sport, I think in any television show...Top Gun we watched and I’m sure every fighter pilot went ‘you can’t do that in a jet’ but it was a great movie."

One of the episodes during the third season focused on the exploits of McLaren through the 2020 F1 season as Norris and Sainz guided the team to third in the constructors' championship.

Within the episode, it seemed that the pairing, who was well renowned for their 'Carlando bromance', had actually endured a fractious season and although Brown suggested this was false, he reiterated his support for the production of the series.

“Of course, all of us living in the sport know that Carlos and Lando had a great relationship and there wasn’t the tension portrayed there," he added.

"I think any time you get into a television show they’re going to create some entertainment that we all within the paddock know maybe wasn’t quite like that.

“I think that’s ok and what’s most important is it has done wonderful things to bring in new fans around the world so we’re very supportive of Netflix and what they’re trying to accomplish even if they take a little bit of creative license here and there.”

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