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The F1 docuseries "Drive to Survive" has captured the imagination of F1 fans over the years. The series has also resulted in a much better insight into the minds of the lesser-known drivers on the grid.
"Drive to Survive" provides access to drivers that don't get the shine in a normal broadcast. Drivers like Yuki Tsunoda, who often don't get talked about in a broadcast, are extensively covered in the series. Esteban Ocon had a similar experience in 2018 and so did Pierre Gasly in 2020.
The docuseries has targeted this gaping hole in the broadcast and given a voice to these drivers.
Almost every F1 driver tends to have close to a million followers on social media, and the docuseries has played a role in making that happen. Having said that, it's not possible for all 20 drivers to get the coverage they deserve. More often than not, some of them miss the ship.
Even in the latest edition, RacingNews365 has reported that there are a few drivers that do not feature in season 5 of the series. Who are they? Well, let's take a look.
#1 Nicholas Latifi
Nicholas Latifi does not get much coverage. The Canadian driver had a 3-year stint in the sport at Williams. Arguably one of the biggest pitfalls for the driver was not the absence of a competitive car under him, but the teammates he was paired with.
Both Alex Albon and George Russell outperformed Latifi in a way that made it tough for the Canadian to extend his stay with Williams F1.
It appears that a lack of intrigue or even a lack of storylines around the Canadian also meant that the driver did not make an appearance in the series.
#2 Valtteri Bottas
This one is going to disappoint quite a few fans but Valtteri Bottas has experienced a 180-degree change in perception in the last year.
His move to Alfa Romeo has come as a welcome surprise for everyone. It does appear that the burden has been lifted off his shoulders. Gone are the days when Bottas was trying to fight for his seat every season. That's not happening anymore as he was on a multi-year contract with the team.
It's strange that Bottas did not get any air time in the series because he surely would have had some great things to contribute.
#3 Lance Stroll
Lance Stroll is a strong F1 driver. There's no doubt about that. There's a pole position in the wet weather in Turkey to prove that. However, he hasn't improved much since his introduction into motorsport's top flight.
To add to this, he's pretty much occupying a seat in the F1 paddock because his father owns the team. It's never a ticket to the hearts of any fan, especially in a sport like Formula 1 where opportunities are limited. With Nikita Mazepin disappearing from the grid after 2021 and Nicholas Latifi en route to the same, there's only one driver that could be termed as a "pay driver."
Stroll did not paint himself in glory either with the way he conducted himself while racing against Sebastian Vettel last season. Some of his moves were questionable at best and turned F1 fans against him even more.
Having said this, it would have been interesting to see the other side of the supposed "Villain" of the F1 grid. The series does not cover Stroll, but if the trend continues this season, we could be looking at the Canadian getting more coverage in next year's edition.
