Franco Colapinto will be one of the main focuses of Formula 1: Drive to Survive's eighth season, the Netflix series that shows the behind-the-scenes of the pinnacle of motorsport. The new installment, which will be released on February 27, will reconstruct his return to the top category and his promotion to full-time Alpine driver, replacing Australian driver Jack Doohan, a move that had a strong international impact.
In an official preview, he is seen arriving at the Imola paddock, the venue for the seventh round of the 2025 calendar, the race that marked his comeback as a full-time driver alongside Pierre Gasly. In one of the first scenes, he peels off a tag that reads "Alpine reserve driver", he smiles and introduces himself: "I'm Franco Colapinto, BWT Alpine Formula 1 driver". Later, when he is welcomed at the Italian circuit, someone tells him: "Welcome back. You're the man of the moment".
The driver himself highlights the significance of that opportunity: "It's great to be back in F1. Flavio trusts me a lot. I'm going to try to do the best I can". The series will delve in depth into the internal restructuring at Alpine that led to Doohan's departure after just six Grands Prix, which were marked by crashes and poor performance.
In the first trailer released a few days ago, Flavio Briatore is asked whether he likes firing people and he answers bluntly: "If people don't do their job, yes". An exchange is also shown in which the advisor warns the Australian: "Don't push it to the limit", before his DRS crash in Japan. In this first teaser, Colapinto is also briefly seen saying "Stop following me".
Colapinto had already had a brief experience in the 2024 season when he contested the last nine rounds with Williams, although his presence in the previous edition of the series was almost marginal. This time, his profile will play a much more prominent role, with a focus on the impact caused by his promotion within the French team and on the renewed interest of the South American audience in the category.
The eighth season will also revisit other flashpoints of the 2025 championship: Lando Norris's title fight, the coexistence and internal tension at McLaren, Lewis Hamilton's arrival at Ferrari, Max Verstappen's comeback, the emergence of young talents such as Kimi Antonelli, and Christian Horner's departure from Red Bull after two decades with the team, amid the controversy known as "Sexgate".
With executive production by James Gay-Rees (Amy, Senna) and Paul Martin (Diego Maradona), the series promises "an unprecedented level of access" to the private lives of drivers and teams, with never-before-seen footage and direct testimonies about friendships, rivalries, and leadership changes.
