He was one of the most popular F1 drivers… Daniel Ricciardo will however not be at the start at the next GP in Austin, and will probably never start in F1 again.
Many people knew the Australian through his smile, but the general public, particularly Americans (Daniel Ricciardo was very popular in the USA), also discovered the Australian through the Netflix show, Drive to Survive.
“I think Daniel immediately became everyone’s favorite”remembers for example James Gay-Rees, executive producer of the series. “He’s been an incredible part of the show, there’s no doubt about it. »
“I recently rewatched the Season 1 launch video. I probably hadn’t watched it since we made it, which was a long time ago. And then I watched some of the first episode, and sure enough, it was Danny’s show! »
“Ricciardo quickly adopted the concept of the series, at a time when many drivers were not yet convinced” continues Gay-Rees, perhaps tackling Max Verstappen in the process.
“He’s had infectious energy from the start, and he’s an extremely likeable guy. »
When the cameras started rolling, following Ricciardo on the racetrack, at his home in Europe in Monaco, or with his family in Australia, the production team knew they had found a major asset.
“Daniel is very comfortable in front of a camera, isn’t he? »
“He’s very laid back, doesn’t think too much, he’s charismatic and he’s a very nice person. I think he had no problem getting filmed. »
“If you’re Daniel Ricciardo, it’s pretty simple – you stay yourself, and it works. »
“He was the right guy at the right time. »
“Daniel became a big part of the show. He was a pillar, and he still is, in a way. »
Since that first season, Ricciardo’s career has seen many ups and downs. After leaving Red Bull for Renault, he was lost at McLaren F1, before being replaced by Oscar Piastri. And again, despite a comeback at RB F1, Daniel Ricciardo has just been removed during the year to make way for Liam Lawson.
“I’m sure it’s not necessarily the way he would have wanted things to go, and it’s hard not to wonder what would have happened if he had stayed at Red Bull [au lieu de partir chez Renault] »asks Gay-Rees.
“It would have been interesting to see that because he was very competitive in that car and winning races. I think he would have given Max a hard time. But who knows? »
With eight victories, 32 podiums and more than 250 starts in F1, Ricciardo will still leave a definite mark in the sport.
“It’s the end of an era, right? »concludes Gay-Rees. “It was truly a happy union. We have this with multiple drivers now, which is a good thing. We are not looking to replace it. We will miss him personally, professionally and sportingly, but nothing lasts forever – for any of us! »
“If this is the end, it’s sad. We will be sad to lose him, with what he represented, just as we were sad to lose Guenther Steiner, in a way. But he’s a young man, he still has a lot of time ahead of him. Who knows where this will take him? I am sure he will have a rich life full of stories to tell. »
“He’ll be there one way or another… I wouldn’t hesitate to trade places with Danny Ric in the future, he’ll have fun! »
