Former Alpine Formula 1 Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer detailed how he warned staff that conversations were being recorded for ‘Drive To Survive’.
Netflix’s Drive to Survive cameras follow drivers, team principals, and other workers around the paddock for the documentary series. While the large cameras might be easy to spot, the task becomes trickier when the workers wear microphones.
Otmar Szafnauer revealed that he had a method for warning colleagues when a microphone was recording nearby. On the High Performance Racing podcast, Szafnauer explained: “I’ll tell you what I used to do whenever I was miked up and on the pit wall.
“You could say all sorts of stuff because emotions were quite high and they recorded everything. I used to put a piece of tape across my forehead that said ‘Netflix’.
“So whenever anyone was talking to me, they could see I was miked up.”
Elements F1 do not want revealed to Netflix
The former F1 Team Principal continued, explaining that while he was not constantly wearing a microphone, he did have to wear one if his team was the focus of the episode.
“Exactly. Well, when we’re the story, I would be miked up, and I’d then be miked up on the grid,” he said.
The docu-series came with positives and negatives for the grid. On one hand, Drive to Survive attempts to show behind-the-scenes content that could not be seen elsewhere. It would give the drivers and teams the opportunity to reveal more of their true personalities, allowing fans to get a better look into who they are.
On the other hand, the series would exaggerate moments, misrepresent battles in races, and portray the drivers with specific characteristics in mind. F1 has spent decades carefully protecting its secrets. Now, there was a chance that the series would show more than they bargained for.
“[There is] still some strategic stuff that you’re doing on the pitwall that you don’t want them to know.” Szafnauer revealed.
Since Drive to Survive began filming in the paddock in 2019, the teams have had time to become familiar with the process and to get a good idea of what is revealed and what is kept from the cameras. The series has played a huge role in the sport’s growing fanbase in the United States. It has also created interest beyond regular sports fans.
READ MORE: Gabriel Bortoleto insists Audi seat ‘is filled’ amid F1 silly season speculation
Discussion about this post