SAINZ REVEALS THE IMPACT OF HIS NETFLIX GAMBLE

Carlos Sainz calls his early commitment to Netflix's *Drive to Survive* a "game-changing" decision for his career and Formula 1's global expansion. Despite initial reservations about opening his private life, Sainz gave producers unprecedented access. The gamble paid off immediately, with Sainz gaining 500,000 followers in two weeks after the first season aired. He realized the effort was "worth it."

The Spanish driver directly linked the Netflix boom to F1's meteoric rise in the United States. He vividly recalled visiting the Austin GP pre-Netflix and then seeing an "insane amount of people" just two years after the series became a cultural phenomenon during COVID. Sainz believes the show transformed drivers, shifting their roles from mere competitors to vital ambassadors. He's now promoting the new Madrid Grand Prix, even performing a "simulation" of the city's public transport, reaching the circuit from the center in just eight minutes. This fan-focused approach, much like DTS, remains key to F1's continued global growth and appeal, especially across the U.S.