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Extreme E in talks with Netflix to stream documentary series

Motor racing car in Dakar rally - Vaclav Duska Jr
Motor racing car in Dakar rally - Vaclav Duska Jr

Electric off-road racing series Extreme E is in talks with America’s streaming giants to create a documentary series akin to Netflix’s Formula 1: Drive to Survive.

Chief executive Alejandro Agag said negotiations were underway with the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Apple to create a show as part of the sport’s broadcasting plans.

“A lot of the focus of the documentaries will be on the environmental issues,” he added. “We race in locations like the Arctic where the ice is melting, or Brazil where they are deforesting.

“There will be a little bit of racing, but it will mainly tell the stories of the climate crisis.”

Extreme E is poised to begin in January, with SUV races taking place in five countries throughout 2021, including Senegal, Saudi Arabia, Nepal, Greenland and Brazil.

The series, which is backed by Mr Agag and Chinese investors CMC and SECA, secured a deal with BBC Sport in March to screen races live on BBC iPlayer, the red button and on the website.

It announced earlier this month that six-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton will enter a team in the racing series.

Mr Agag is also the founder and chairman of Formula E, the electric racing series backed by a consortium of investors including John Malone’s Liberty Global.

Netflix teamed up with Formula 1 for a series revealing more about the players behind the racing. It returned for a second season last year to cover the 2019 championship.