The Canadian Grand Prix, one of Formula 1’s most unpredictable races, is set to take place at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal as part of the 2026 season and will be streamed on Netflix through F1 Canadian Grand Prix: Race. It is expected to be part of a highly active race weekend format, with multiple sessions across the weekend building toward Sunday’s main event, where the Grand Prix itself decides the outcome, making it feel like a full narrative build-up rather than a single event.

That’s where the Formula 1: Drive to Survive lens starts to hit differently. Before the cars even touch Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, there are already layers of context simmering underneath the asphalt. To understand those, these 8 Drive to Survive episodes become the perfect pre-race watch.

To understand why Lewis Hamilton is making headlines defending his move to Ferrari amid growing scrutiny and retirement speculation, it helps to look at Season 3, Episode 4 of Drive to Survive, titled We Need to Talk About Ferrari, where Ferrari is portrayed as a high-pressure Formula 1 environment during its 2020 struggles, where even a team with a historic legacy is shown dealing with underperformance, internal frustration, and intense external scrutiny, reinforcing the idea that expectations at Ferrari are constantly amplified regardless of results.

In contrast, Season 6, Episode 6, Leap of Faith, shifts the focus to Mercedes during a post-dominance phase, highlighting a highly structured and disciplined team adapting to reduced competitiveness, with Lewis Hamilton operating in a setting where success is no longer guaranteed, and adaptation becomes central to performance.

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When viewed together, Hamilton’s move to Ferrari can be understood as a shift into a more emotionally intense and unpredictable environment, which is why his decision continues to be discussed in terms of pressure, performance scrutiny, and long-term motivation.

McLaren’s slow rise is best understood as a long evolution from survival-era struggles to the pressure of leading the front of the grid, a transformation that Drive to Survive captures across its seasons. Season 1, Episode 1, Hard Racing, reflects an earlier Formula 1 landscape where midfield teams like McLaren were locked in constant battles for relevance, with every race carrying the weight of survival, development, and identity.

Fast-forward to Season 8, Episode 6, The Duel, and the sport looks very different. The episode explores a modern Formula 1 environment where top teams are no longer simply chasing victories but fighting for supremacy in fiercely contested rivalries at the sharp end of the grid. These episodes frame McLaren’s “how far they’ve come” journey from a team fighting to stay competitive to one operating among Formula 1’s elite.

For years, Red Bull looked virtually unbeatable, with Max Verstappen at the center of a dynasty that seemed capable of extending its dominance indefinitely. As questions grow around leadership stability, the future no longer appears as certain as it once did. Season 7, Episode 1, Business As Usual, explores the controversy surrounding Christian Horner and the scrutiny that followed, revealing how off-track turmoil challenged even Formula 1's most successful organization and offering a glimpse into the pressure Red Bull has been facing at its foundations.

To understand what is at stake, it is worth revisiting Season 5, Episode 10, End of the Road, which captures Red Bull at the height of its power, showcasing Verstappen's championship-winning mentality and the team dynamics that helped establish one of Formula 1's most dominant eras. The contrast helps explain why discussions around Red Bull today are so heavily focused on Verstappen and the role he has played in leading the team’s success, as questions continue to grow over whether Red Bull can sustain that dominance in the years ahead.

Before Andrea Kimi Antonelli became the new face of Mercedes, Drive to Survive showed what it takes to survive inside Formula 1's most demanding team. Season 3, Episode 3, Nobody's Fool, follows Valtteri Bottas as he tries to step out of Lewis Hamilton's shadow, revealing the immense pressure, internal competition, and relentless standards that define life at Mercedes. The episode explores Bottas' determination to prove he is more than a number-two driver and the mental battle of competing against one of the sport's greatest champions.

Years later, Antonelli finds himself stepping into that same environment. Drive to Survive introduces him as part of Formula 1's next generation in Season 8, Episode 1, New Kids on the Track. The episode follows the arrival of six rookies on the grid and the immense expectations surrounding Antonelli's move to Mercedes. What makes the episode even more compelling today is how quickly that promise became reality. Antonelli has emerged as the breakout star of Formula 1's new era, helping Mercedes win every Grand Prix of the 2026 season so far and establishing himself as the latest driver to thrive within the team's relentless winning culture.

These 8 episodes provide all the context you need before the Canadian Grand Prix.

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Which Formula 1 team are you backing this season? Let us know in the comments.