Drive to Survive put Formula One on the map in the United States says Renault driver Daniel Ricciardo

Drive to Survive

Drive to Survive put F1 on the map in the U.S. says Ricciardo

Not long to wait until season two airs

Sam Hall

Wednesday 5 February 2020 10:23

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Daniel Ricciardo hails the Netflix series 'Drive to Survive' for putting Formula One on the map in the United States as season two premiered in London.

Aside from highlighting the Haas team principal Guenther Steiner one of the biggest non-driving personalities in the Formula One paddock, 'Drive to Survive' brought the sport to a new community of fans.

People who had previously held little interest for F1 watched the Netflix documentary and could follow the action in a form none to dissimilar to that of a soap opera.

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Speaking on 'The Late Show with Trevor Noah', Renault driver Ricciardo credited the documentary for expanding the fan-base in America.

"I definitely feel that F1 is becoming much more of a thing here in the States," said Ricciardo. "Drive to survive put it on the map and it's been cool.

"I spend a bit of time in the States and, up until a year ago, not really anyone would say hi to me. Not in a bad way but [not really anyone would] recognise me for being an F1 driver, but now it's all, "We saw you on Netflix, it was great.".

"We wear helmets, so not many people can see our face a lot of the time. So putting a face to a name - it helps."

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Asked about his often jovial nature in the paddock, and labelled as 'The Clown Prince of F1' by Noah, Ricciardo added, "I think that growing up in Australia, growing up with sunshine, living close to the beach - it turns your personality into a bit of happiness. I'm doing my dream job and you have to be reminded sometimes.

"You get so competitive and so caught up in it that you do forget [to have] a bit of perspective.

"It is my dream job. I get to travel the world to drive cars in circles which is pretty awesome."

Season two of Drive to Survive will go live on February 28.