Drive to Survive has been an absolute hit ever since its first season was released in 2019. The primary goal of creating the show was to help grow the sport of Formula 1 globally. Seven years later, the show has surpassed those benchmarks and has made even broader impacts.
It is almost time for another season, as season eight is set to be released on February 27. Luckily, it happens to fall on a Friday, so fans can binge watch it throughout the night and into Saturday morning.
2025 brought F1 fans lots of exciting moments throughout the season, culminating in Lando Norris lifting his first world championship trophy.
From lights out in Melbourne to the checkered flag in Abu Dhabi, some very key moments turned out to be defining moments of the season. The upcoming season of the show will surely cover some of these moments from behind the scenes.
1. Papaya Rules
McLaren’s intrasquad battle was fierce, and questionable decisions were made by the pit wall. What initially seemed like a championship controlled by Oscar Piastri was quickly flipped with a lack of consistency, and Lando Norris separated himself as the faster and more consistent driver.
With tension between the two drivers and their sides of the garage, every fan and paddock member had their eyes on the two orange cars during every qualifying session and race day. The British driver ultimately prevailed, and it produced the most exciting inter-team battle since 2016, when Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg battled it out.
2. Max Verstappen’s late surge
Having won the four consecutive world championships, Max Verstappen’s quest for a fifth was ruled out by most fans heading into the summer break. Even Red Bull team members deemed it unlikely, given the fact that the Dutch driver was more than 100 points behind.
However, Verstappen finished the season on a very strong note and nearly caught up to both McLaren drivers, ultimately finishing two points behind Norris. He was even briefly the championship favorite. Ultimately, it came down to needing the McLaren drivers to have a poor race, and he showed his absolute best while turning it into a three-way fight.
3. Christian Horner’s firing
Red Bull's sudden firing of Christian Horner shocked the paddock, especially since he built this team from the beginning in the 2000s. Kickstarted by the early 2024 allegations made regarding improper behavior, a rough start to the 2025 season finally led to Red Bull officials pulling the trigger.
The change was seen as monumental given his strong ties to the team, and to many, it did not feel real. For a period of time, seeing Laurent Mekies as team principal felt awkward and a little out of place in a way. However, the move was necessary to make sure Red Bull stayed on the right trajectory.
4. Lewis Hamilton’s brutal season
When Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari was announced before the 2024 season had even begun, the build-up felt theatrical in a sense. Fans were so eager to see the seven-time world champion in red, and great things were expected from Hamilton.
However, the British driver’s first season in red was outright abysmal. From car issues to constant miscommunications with his race engineer, it turned out to be a season of nothing but disappointment.
5. Nico Hulkenberg’s podium
The German driver revived his career when he joined Haas in 2023, proving to be one of the best midfield drivers. Having moved to Sauber for the 2025 season, the same was expected of him. Nico Hulkenberg consistently managed to turn tough qualifying outings into hard-fought points finishes during the race.
The British Grand Prix turned into a dream scenario. Fantastic condition assessment, good strategy calls, and a bit of good fortune brought Nico Hulkenberg from a P19 start to a P3 finish, resulting in his first career podium.
2025 was full of highlight moments, producing one of the best Formula 1 seasons to date. Drive To Survive will certainly display all of these incredible storylines in detail when season eight releases on February 27.