Former F1 group boss reveals weird means he warned workers about “Drive to Survive” microphones

Former Method 1 group principal Otmar Szafnauer has revealed the weird technique he used to warn his colleagues that he was carrying a microphone for Netflix’s Drive to Survive cameras.

The favored docuseries gave followers unprecedented entry to the F1 paddock, however this meant these throughout the championship needed to get inventive to guard their privateness. 

Szafnauer opened up about his time filming for Drive to Survive throughout an episode of the Excessive Efficiency Racing podcast. 

“I will let you know what I used to do at any time when I used to be miked up and on the pitwall,” he defined. “You may say all kinds of stuff as a result of feelings had been fairly excessive they usually recorded every part. I used to place a bit of tape throughout my brow that stated ‘Netflix’.

“So at any time when anybody was speaking to me, they might see I used to be miked up.”

When requested if he was consistently wired, Szafnauer confirmed that the microphones had been solely used when his group was the main focus for that exact episode. “Precisely. Properly, once we’re the story, I’d be miked up, and I might then be miked up on the grid,” he added.

Otmar Szafnauer, Workforce Principal, Alpine F1 Workforce

Picture by: James Sutton / Motorsport Pictures

Regardless of the present airing after the season through which the footage was captured, Szafnauer pressured the significance of retaining operational secrets and techniques personal.

“[There is] nonetheless some strategic stuff that you simply’re doing on the pitwall that you don’t need them to know.”

Drive to Survive, which is produced by Netflix and Field to Field Movies, offers viewers a behind-the-scenes have a look at F1 and its drivers. Because the launch of the primary season in 2019, the docuseries has been credited with increasing the drivers’ profiles by giving them a highlight to showcase their personalities and lives away from the observe. Along with that, the present has been an enormous power behind the championship’s growth in reputation in america.

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