Netflixs Drive to Survive new season brings Franco Colapinto in the spotlight

Franco Colapinto has undoubtedly become one of the biggest stars of the moment in Argentina. With his magnetic charisma, nonchalant attitude and speed on the track, he draws fans and media alike. So much is proven in the eighth season of Drive to Survive, the Netflix docuseries that follows the previous ins and outs of the Formula 1 season, where the Argentine played an interesting role. Many were surprised when Netflix failed to mention Colapinto in the previous season of the show, which covered the 2024 races. The Argentine driver was a lightning bolt for the season, as his surprise debut for Williams, replacing U.S. driver Logan Sergeant, brought a storm of Argentine fans to several races. The producers did not miss the mark for season eight, as the Argentine driver features heavily in the second episode. It focuses on Alpine F1 and Sauber’s methods for dealing with their rookie drivers, with Colapinto entering the picture after replacing Australian Jack Doohan as one of the two main drivers. Drive to Survive shows a more aggressive side to Colapinto. The often affable and cheerful 22-year-old admitted he’d be “happy to take the seat from anyone” when he was sitting on the sidelines during the first six races of the season. But he certainly isn’t the one with the worst bark, as the producers also focus on the tense relationship that both the Argentine diver and Doohan had with team advisor turned boss Flavio Briatore during the season. The episode opens with Briatore in his home, where, when asked if he enjoys firing people, he said he “only enjoys it if people aren’t doing their job.” Scenes also feature the Italian giving a harsh talk to Colapinto, apparently after the Emilia Romagna GP, where the team boss told him in no uncertain terms the driver was “the problem” when results weren’t what the team expected. However, Colapinto fans might be disappointed to learn that the producers chose not to include some other moments that could’ve shown the Argentine driver in a better light, such as impressive drives at the Canadian and Dutch GPs. It also misses when the team left him marauding for nearly half a minute during the Hungarian GP pit stops. The full series, focusing on all teams and drivers in the 2025 season, premieres on Netflix on Friday, February 27th.