Max Verstappen, the reigning Formula One world champion, claims that despite initially rejecting the Netflix docuseries "Drive to Survive" due to the way its protagonists were depicted, he is now prepared to collaborate with it.
The fourth season of the behind-the-scenes programme, which debuted this year, did not have the Red Bull driver cooperating with the filmmakers.
In the most recent season, Verstappen and Mercedes opponent and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton engaged in a controversial and intense title race.
When Netflix and Formula One announced two additional seasons in May, the Dutch 24-year-old said he was now more involved. In March, he said it was not his thing and that his opinion was not likely to change.
"I just sat together with them and I explained how I thought about it and what I thought went wrong in the past and it was actually a very good, quick little chat and we'll try to improve from there," he told reporters at the British Grand Prix.
He claimed that he would have more control over the footage and how he was portrayed.
"That's all I'm asking for. That's it just more realistic, at least from my side," he said.
"I cannot control, of course, what they do with other drivers, but at least I want to be in control with what I'm releasing. That's what we're going to do.
"I hope, of course, that it's going to be good, because I also understand that Netflix really helped a lot for the popularity, especially in the U.S., and I don't mind playing a role in that but it needs to be good for both of us."
Stefano Domenicali, the chief executive of Formula One, promised to speak with Netflix about keeping the story grounded in reality in March.
A rise in popularity in the formerly competitive American market has been attributed in large part to "Drive to Survive," which has been instrumental in attracting new, younger followers to the sport.
However, it has come under fire for creating rivalries between drivers and taking comments said on the radio out of context.
