The hit shows Welcome To Wrexham and Formula 1: Drive to Survive, which are both on the 2026 TV schedule, have the same problem for me. It's not that I’m an American who doesn't appreciate European sports. I love following both English football and Formula 1. I love that they are on in the morning (for the most part) where I live, and I can wake up on a lazy weekend morning and watch while enjoying my coffee. Herein lies the problem.
I’m A Fan Of Wrexham A.F.C. And F1
Over the past four seasons on Welcome to Wrexham, we’ve seen the underdog team owned by big Hollywood stars Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds pull off one remarkable feat after another, rising three divisions in three seasons. After watching the first season of Welcome to Wrexham with my Apple TV subscription (the latest season starts on May 15th), I’ve followed the team during each of the seasons. I watched matches when I could, though watching the lower English leagues in the US can be tricky. I always at least checked the final scores of their games and read the recaps.
The same goes for F1. I’ve been watching F1 every week for almost two decades now, once cable and streaming made it easy to watch every race (plus the qualifying and the practice sessions). I’d never been a big motorsports fan before that. I had a passive interest in NASCAR and Indy racing stateside, but F1 really grabbed my attention and has held it ever since. I look forward to the start of each season, and I’m even planning to catch the Monaco Grand Prix at my local IMAX. F1 is airing select races at IMAX theaters this season, as the league continues to try to grow its fanbase in America.
The Seasons Are On Big Spoiler For The Shows
This all means I really can’t get into the shows Welcome to Wrexham or Drive to Survive. Because the shows are recaps of seasons I’ve followed pretty closely, there is an inherent spoiler for both. I know what is going to happen before it happens on the show. The shows are basically ruined for me. The drama that builds in Wrexham as they strive for another promotion is exciting, don’t get me wrong, but I know the result. There are no cliffhangers or a release of emotion when the team succeeds or fails, at least when I see it in the show. I went through all that already.
There is a “me” problem. I think both shows are really well-produced and dramatic. I fully understand the appeal both have for fans. You get that inside look at the team in Wrexham’s case, and the championship season in F1’s case. Especially in the case of F1, the drama behind the scenes rarely stays behind the scenes if you follow the sport. Rivalries are well known, and the drama between racers and teams is on the front page, along with the race results. I mean, it’s that kind of thing that really drew me into the sport. Watching the recap of the season in Drive to Survive with my Netflix subscription isn’t as fun when I’ve been reading about it all for a year.
I hope both shows continue to produce great content, and I love that both are bringing new fans to both Wrexham and F1 (as has the Oscar-nominated movie starring Brad Pitt), but for me, I’ve been there and done that, and I’ve already moved on to the season after the one the shows are about.
