match axes.legend signature behaviour

fastf1/plotting/_interface.py

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import dataclasses
+import warnings
 from typing import (
     Any,
     Dict,
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@
 )
 
 import matplotlib.axes
+import matplotlib.legend
 
 from fastf1.core import Session
 from fastf1.internals.fuzzy import fuzzy_matcher
@@ -729,6 +731,10 @@ def add_sorted_driver_legend(
     ``ax.legend()`` method. It can only be used when driver names or driver
     abbreviations are used as labels for the legend.
 
+    This function supports the same ``*args`` and ``**kwargs`` as
+    Matplotlib's ``ax.legend()``, including the ``handles`` and ``labels``
+    arguments. Check the Matplotlib documentation for more information.
+
     There is no particular need to use this function except to make the
     legend more visually pleasing.
 
@@ -746,7 +752,16 @@ def add_sorted_driver_legend(
 
     """
     dtm = _get_driver_team_mapping(session)
-    handles, labels = ax.get_legend_handles_labels()
+
+    try:
+        handles, labels, kwargs \
+            = matplotlib.legend._parse_legend_args([ax], *args, **kwargs)
+    except AttributeError:
+        warnings.warn("Failed to parse optional legend arguments correctly.",
+                      UserWarning)
+        kwargs.pop('handles', None)
+        kwargs.pop('labels', None)
+        handles, labels = ax.get_legend_handles_labels()
 
     teams_list = list(dtm.teams_by_normalized.values())
     driver_list = list(dtm.drivers_by_normalized.values())
@@ -771,14 +786,11 @@ def add_sorted_driver_legend(
 
     handles_new = list()
     labels_new = list()
-    seen_labels = set()
     for elem in ref:
-        if elem[3] not in seen_labels:
-            handles_new.append(elem[2])
-            labels_new.append(elem[3])
-            seen_labels.add(elem[3])
+        handles_new.append(elem[2])
+        labels_new.append(elem[3])
 
-    return ax.legend(handles_new, labels_new, *args, **kwargs)
+    return ax.legend(handles_new, labels_new, **kwargs)
 
 
 def set_default_colormap(colormap: str):