Thanks to the great insights and behind-the-scenes drama, the Netflix docies Formula 1: Drive to Survive has been credited with increasing the sport's fanbase. Since 2019, the docies has covered the intense Formula One World Championships, the lives of drivers, and a look at the people who enable them to perform at their best behind the scenes. It also follows the managers and team owners who set up teams, finance them, and determine who and what they use to compete season after season.

The seventh season premiered in 2025 with a more in-depth look at the Formula 1 drivers and their teams from a point of view that most fans have never seen. This isn't the only sports documentary series that takes fans behind the curtains, either. Whether fans love Formula One, NASCAR, football, basketball, soccer, or even golf, there are documentary series that go deep into the weeds of the business of the sport and the people involved, and they are perfect for fans who love the basis of Formula 1: Drive to Survive.

15 Sunderland 'Til I Die (2018)

Sunderland A.F.C. Football Club

Sunderland 'Til I Die is a British sports docies that follows the events surrounding the English football club Sunderland A.F.C. Originally, Sunderland chairman Ellis Short agreed to the "fly on a wall" series, hoping it would attract investors to his club. However, what resulted was a critically acclaimed series that lasted for three seasons and 17 episodes and aired on Netflix. Sunderland 'Til I Die season 1 ended with Stewart Donald's takeover of the club following relegation.

Much like Formula 1: Drive to Survive, Sunderland 'Til I Die took fans behind the scenes to what was happening when the team was not playing, although there was no footage from the locker rooms out of respect for the manager. It is also very comparable to the All of Nothing series, as it started as a look at a soccer club but ended up morphing into something so much bigger, with a sense of community and the club's relationship with its fans.

14 The Last Dance (2020)

Michael Jordan's Final Season With The Chicago Bulls

Michael Jordan was the greatest basketball player of his era and was considered the best of all time when he played with the Chicago Bulls. He led the Bulls to great success year in and year out, and when he retired, it seemed like the end of an era. However, Jordan returned from retirement and played a few more seasons, including winning the NBA Championship in his final year with the Bulls. The Last Dance showcases that final season with incredible behind-the-scenes footage of the turmoil.

It goes a long way to show how hard it is to win a championship.

The big difference between The Last Dance and Formula 1: Drive to Survive is that the latter series is about current Formula One players and seasons, whereas The Last Dance is about a historical season, considered one of the best of all time. It goes a long way to show how hard it is to win a championship when there are egos and obstacles along the way.

13 Losers (2019)

Important Losers In Sports History

Most sports docies are about following winners and champions. When it comes to Formula 1: Drive to Survive, no one knew if they would be winners or losers. That didn't even matter because the entire focus was on following these drivers, managers, and owners as they competed in the high-octane sport of auto racing. However, there is one docies that fans of Formula 1 might want to check out because it is all about the people competing, and it has nothing to do with winning championships.

Losers is a sports docies following so-called "losers" in sports competitions. However, this is so inspiring because it shows how these people found their greatest happiness after losing. One episode follows a world champion boxer who was happier after losing his title and leaving the sport behind. A Black figure skater faces racism from judges to become a role model for the next generation. These are moments fans , seen from the point of view of the people taking the loss.

12 Full Swing (2023-Present)

Golf

Not only is Full Swing a docies that fans of Formula 1: Drive to Survive should enjoy, but the two series are actually connected. Both shows air on Netflix, and in 2023, the streaming service had a crossover event in 2023 between the two shows called The Netflix Cup. Taking place at the Wynn Golf Club in Las Vegas and coinciding with the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix, the stars from the two shows competed in eight holes of match play with unique challenges.

As for the show itself, Full Swing is a collaboration between Netflix and the PGA, where the streaming service gives a behind-the-scenes look at players on the PGA Tour as well as what happens behind the scenes at the world's biggest PGA Tour tournaments. There are some big-name golfers taking part in the docies, including Jordan Spieth, Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, and many more. There have been two seasons and 16 episodes, plus the special crossover event.

11 Sprint (2024)

Racing

For fans who watch Formula 1: Drive to Survive for the high-speed action, the Netflix sports docies Speed is the perfect show to watch after binging season 7. The biggest thing to note is that the production team behind Formula 1: Drive to Survive (Box to Box Films) is also the producer of Speed. This series launched in 2024 and follows the fastest runners in the world as they compete at the most prestigious and important racing events around the globe.

Speed is a collaboration between Netflix and World Athletics.

Speed is a collaboration between Netflix and World Athletics, and it offers something very similar to Formula 1: Drive to Survive — a behind-the-scenes look at the athletes and races showcased. This includes competitions at the Diamond League, World Athletics Championships, and Olympic Games. There are two seasons, and several athletes appear in both seasons, giving fans a good chance to get to know these blazingly fast runners as they push their bodies to the limit.

10 All Or Nothing (2017–Present)

The English Premier League's 2021-22 Season

Narrated by Daniel Kaluuya and focusing on different teams in the season, the docies covers the coaching style, daily practices, and player feuds. So far, the most popular episodes have been the ones featuring soccer teams such as Juventus, Manchester City, and Tottenham Hotspur.

With the presence of tough coaches and players who keep feeling the need to go rogue, there is never a dull moment in All or Nothing. Most of the teams covered have plenty of flaws, too, and the process of trying to rectify them only adds to the entertainment. Given how saccharine the proceedings are, this Amazon Prime Video offering is good enough to easily convert casual fans into staunch ones.

9 Cheer (2020)

Competitive Cheerleading

The camera follows various university cheerleading teams as they prepare for the Daytona Beach event as well as a chance to win the National Cheerleading Association’s championship title. And there's more required than just learning how to dance.

Most sports documentaries only paint the players as the real stars, but through Cheer, it becomes clear that most sports wouldn't be the same if the activities on matchday were limited to the field. And while cheerleading might seem like a simple task when seen live or in some of the best sports movies, Cheer triggers the realization that there is a lot more work required.

8 Last Chance U (2016–2020)

American College Football

The first two seasons take viewers through the grueling football programs of the Jones County Junior College and the East Mississippi Community College, while the next two focus on Kansas’s Independence Community College and Laney College in Oakland, California.

What Last Chance U excels at is showing just how football looks without the marketing and star-power. Despite being derailed by limited budgets and resources, everyone still holds the desire to make it big. Drama isn't lacking either, as fans are introduced to loud-mouthed players as well as controversial ones.

7 Grand Prix Driver (2019)

The McLaren Racing Team

After a couple of bad seasons, the McLaren team vows to do better. Narrated by one of the best actors of the '80s, Michael Douglas, the show follows the team as it sets itself on a journey of redemption.

Great documentaries are defined by their narration, and as someone who has made a career out of delivering great dialogue scenes, Douglas makes Grand Prix Driver a worthy watch. Staunch Formula One fans might find it weak compared to Drive to Survive, but casual viewers will have a blast as they are taken through all the basics

6 The Test: A New Era for Australia’s Team (2020)

Stream On Amazon Prime

After a famed ball-tampering scandal, the Australian cricket team jumps on a path to redemption. And given all the negative press, the process is far from easy.

Since the docies is produced by Australia's cricket governing body, all the footage that fans would wish for is provided. Though the team doesn't fully regain its former glory, the sequence of events makes it impossible not to appreciate the hard work that everyone puts in. Nothing feels rushed, either.