Hopes are pinned on the new generation of F1 cars to provide better racing, as drivers compare notes on their different machines at a photo shoot.
“As long as it’s fast, who cares?” asks George Russell prophetically of his Mercedes.
We then rewind to the first pre-season outing at Barcelona, when the advent of Russia’s invasion into Ukraine results in Haas’s Nikita Mazepin being fired and the branding of his father Dmitry’s Uralkali company stripped from all team equipment.
Neither Mazepin is given a chance to have their say on the matter, but Steiner predictably has some choice words.
We then see Kevin Magnussen make a glorious return in the Russian’s place to finish fifth in the season opener, with Ferrari taking a 1-2, leaving Steiner and Binotto to toast the result over a glass of vino tinto.
Mercedes’ porpoising comes under scrutiny
Episode two focuses on the porpoising issues that plagued many teams, particularly Mercedes, in 2022.
As Merc boss Toto Wolff desperately protests that technical adjustments should be made for safety, other team principals question the rationale of his argument, suggesting he’s just not used to losing.
Various team personnel later speculate whether Lewis Hamilton has had enough and might leave the sport, but he bounces back – almost literally – to take a podium at the thrilling British GP, but Russell’s Sao Paulo GP win isn’t featured.
Ferrari’s implosion is documented
Drivers and teams revel in the Super Bowl-esque Miami GP as a signifier of F1’s newfound popularity in Episode 3, but Ferrari struggles to stay optimistic as it loses out in the race to Red Bull.
Things really then begin to unravel as Maranello hands the Monaco initiative to Milton Keynes on the soaking principality streets, which is met with harsh words on the radio by Charles Leclerc.
The mood is still mixed at the British GP, as Sainz wins but Leclerc loses championship momentum due to strategy calls – one of the latter’s associates berates Binotto afterwards.
Netflix looks at Mick Schumacher’s Haas struggle
The series then shifts focus back to Haas and Mick Schumacher’s desperate attempts to rescue his seat for 2023.
Things start badly for young German, with scathing words aimed his way from Steiner, team owner Gene Haas and even his mechanics after huge crashes in Saudi Arabia and Monaco accompanied by poor performances in other rounds.
Schumacher goes through moments of reflection in training before finding his mojo with a very first points finish at Silverstone.
Oscar Piastri row gets the Netflix treatment
The series then really hits his stride as the Oscar Piastri contract row ignites after Fernando Alonso’s shock exit to replace the retiring Sebastian Vettel at the Aston Martin team for 2022.
An extra edge is added by the fact Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer and McLaren boss Zak Brown have a clear dislike of each other.
Though the former team indicates it wants to keep Alonso on, tensions rise over the Hungarian GP weekend as Szafnauer begins to suspect something is up, before the Spaniard is announced at Aston the day after the race.
Alpine says Piastri will race for them instead for 2023, but the Australian contests via social media he has no such plans.