Liberty Media director Chase Carey believes MotoGP "can't just copy" Netflix's Formula 1 docuseries Drive to Survive to gain widespread recognition. Liberty acquired F1 in January 2017, and the release of the Netflix show's first season two years later substantially contributed to the world championship's growing popularity. Liberty then bought 84% of Dorna Sports (now known as MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group) in July 2025. The group is seeking to make motorcycle grands prix more diverse, since 11 of the top 12 riders in the 2026 MotoGP championship are Spanish or Italian, while increasing its presence in the United States.
"Certainly there are elements of what teams need to do in MotoGP that will have similarities to Formula 1," Carey said at the Autosport Business Exchange in New York. "Obviously, it is a global franchise. In some ways, MotoGP is even crazier. But it is a sport that also has its unique characteristics, and I think you can't just cookie-cutter the approach." He added that it is early days and the group is still developing strategies for growing the sport as Liberty has with F1.
Drive to Survive has been credited with introducing F1 to a brand-new audience, boosted by the COVID-19 lockdowns, which began just weeks after season two was released. Carey said the show gave the sport's personalities a bigger platform and let fans engage. He noted that the US is currently the biggest YouTube market for the sport, and that Drive to Survive has become a centerpiece of its digital efforts.
Carey doubts that copying the formula would suit MotoGP. He pointed to golf's Full Swing and tennis's Break Point as examples of others trying to emulate the show. "Usually, you can't just copy something," he said, comparing it to American Idol, which spawned imitators but only one original. Instead, he said, MotoGP should find its own opportunities, personalities, digital platforms and partners, such as Apple's role in F1 broadcasting. The F1 movie was a great opportunity, he added, but a MotoGP movie may not be the right one.
Source: Autosport F1 News · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing