Support for Vasseur: 'We hope he will do well at Ferrari'

Formula 1's popularity has soared since the release of Drive to Survive. In America, many fans have been introduced to the sport by the Netflix series. Flavio Briatore thinks F1's target audience is getting younger and younger because of its drivers.

The fifth season of Drive to Survive will be released on Netflix on 24 February. The series has created a huge increase in fans, especially in America. "Formula 1 has huge appeal because the United States is an extraordinary driving force. It was very difficult to get into it before that," Briatore said as quoted by Corriere dello Sport.

The former Benetton and Renault team boss notes that the sport's target audience is getting younger and younger. Briatore thinks this is partly due to the young generation of drivers. "There are extraordinary, fantastic young drivers, people who now communicate with the media in a different way. There are extraordinary champions like Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. [It's] a group of fantastic young people. There is also a group of older people like Fernando Alonso who was not even that fit when he raced with me."

Support for Vasseur

The new season of Drive to Survive will not only focus on Verstappen and Red Bull Racing's title win, but also on the drama in Ferrari's garage. Next season, the Italians hope to come back stronger with Frederic Vasseur in charge. The new team boss can count on Briatore's support. "At Ferrari now there is Vasseur, who is a friend of mine. We hope he will do well."