“Drive to Survive” and “MotoGP Unlimited” as models: Penske Entertainment discusses feasibility and nature of a docu-series on IndyCar series
The documentary series “Drive to Survive” broadcast by Netflix has raised the profile of Formula 1, especially in the USA. The motorbike world championship has already followed suit and confirmed the premiere of “MotoGP Unlimited” on Amazon.
Such considerations also exist in the IndyCar Series. Both drivers and senior officials of the racing series have expressed, as off the record, that they enjoyed “Drive to Survive” and would welcome something similar in the IndyCar scene.
Now Mark Miles, President and CEO of Penske Entertainment Corporation and in that capacity the IndyCar boss, states that such a project around the IndyCar series is indeed being discussed with broadcasters. However, the exact nature of the project could not yet be verified, he said.
“On the one hand, there are series without a script, such as ‘Drive to Survive’, where each episode consists of footage that is then edited together and presented as a story. Then there are scripted series where there are actors and someone writes the script, directs and executes the episodes. ‘Yellowstone’ is one such example.”
“And then there are specially created shoulder shows, for example an hour-long show about the IndyCar series. That can be a one-off, but it’s not live coverage of a race, it’s dedicated content,” Miles muses.
“We’ve now had, I’ll say, encouraging conversations about all these topics and I think we’re closest with the latter, the special feature, and the unscripted feature. But in reality it’s a bit like our search for manufacturers. You can have really good conversations, sit down for the final meeting – and still nothing comes out of it.”
“So we have to wait and see. What I can say is that a lot of work is being done by very competent creators and producers. The conversations about platforms and potential distribution are continuing,” the IndyCar boss said.
Miles points out that a docu-series doesn’t have to be topical to be compelling, and that “Drive to Survive” doesn’t suffer from being about last year’s races when it airs in the run-up to the new season.
“When you look at ‘Drive to Survive’, you have a British producer developing the concept, putting it together, literally producing the episodes and selling them to Netflix. They create what they want. They look at what’s happening and develop stories based on current issues, drivers or teams that are interesting. It’s a pretty fluid process. But it happens after the fact,” Miles said.
“For example, if we were to do a deal that we could announce in May, it might not see the light of day until September. What’s special about ‘Drive to Survive’ is that it gives people a chance to see behind the scenes. Viewers don’t necessarily watch the races. They’re interested in the series because it’s dramatised. The interest is not in watching the season unfold, as a fan would. “
The idea of getting a behind-the-scenes look at Formula One has a natural attraction for current and potential fans. After all, an air of mystique has long surrounded the Formula One paddock, as access to the paddock is extremely limited. In contrast, the IndyCar paddock is known for being very open, allowing fans to observe the preparation of the cars up close and interact with the drivers, team owners and staff.
Miles is not worried that the IndyCar series lacks the basic fascination that is responsible for the success of Drive to Survive: “I don’t think that’s a limiting factor or a big problem. I don’t think anyone who decides to do an IndyCar project will apply the same formula as ‘Drive to Survive’. It worked for Formula One, but I don’t think it’s the right way to do the same thing, just with a different brand.”
“The creatives are talking to us about how they want to approach it. It could be an episode about rookies, an episode about women in racing. Those are not set themes, I just came up with them. But it won’t be the same editorial approach, in my opinion,” says the IndyCar boss, who nevertheless sees “Drive to Survive” and “MotoGP Unlimited” as models in some ways.
“Ideally, the format would be such that both a die-hard fan and someone who doesn’t follow the races would come to understand and appreciate the personalities, the dynamics and the storylines, however crafted, in a way that they can’t by just following a race weekend.”
“It’s really helpful and important because we don’t get nearly as much coverage of our drivers, owners and engineers as we would like. What we have is primarily focused on drivers in helmets in race cars. Opening them up, showing them as people, is really helpful in attracting more fans,” the IndyCar boss says.
