Formula 1 takes advantage of strategic decision ahead of 2023

The fifth season of Formula 1: Drive to Survive was released at just the right time for the sport to continue to capitalize on its growth potential.

The day which many Formula 1 fans had been waiting for arrived on Friday, February 24, when Netflix released the fifth season of documentary series Formula 1: Drive to Survive, unveiling 10 more episodes to the show that debut in March 2019.

Although there are certain elements of the series that haven’t sat well with fans (and even some drivers), there is little doubt that the introduction and continued success of this series has been a key factor in Formula 1 having experienced the level of growth in popularity it has experienced over the last four-plus seasons.

And there is an added element to the release of this year’s Drive to Survive season that could very well further contribute to that boost.

The release of the fifth season perfectly coincided with this year’s Formula 1 preseason testing at Bahrain International Circuit.

Preseason testing at the 15-turn, 3.363-mile (5.412-kilometer) Sakhir, Bahrain road course began on Thursday, February 23 and concluded on Saturday, February 25.

What better way to capitalize on the release of one of the world’s most popular sports docuseries than by having cars on track for the first time this year during the same weekend?

Whether or not this was intentional, it is still something that the sport can surely take advantage of, given how instrumental this particular docuseries has been in helping Formula 1 reach the level of popularity it has reached over the last half decade or so.

Date-wise, it hasn’t always worked out like this in the past, though the annual release of the series has always preceded the season’s first race. This year’s Formula 1 season is set to start quite a bit earlier than past seasons, and this year’s release of Drive to Survive was also the earliest since the show began four years ago.

The Bahrain Grand Prix is officially scheduled to get the 23-race 2023 Formula 1 season underway from Bahrain International Circuit on Sunday, March 5.