Toto Wolff claims Daniel Ricciardo crucial to F1 fans after critical Mercedes decision

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has discussed the impact the likes of Daniel Ricciardo have had on capturing a new generation of F1 fans.

Netflix docu-series Drive to Survive has undoubtedly changed the complexion of modern Formula 1, with a younger more diverse audience tuning in on race weekends, and circuits seeing record attendances year-on-year.

It is hard to believe in the show’s infancy, top teams and drivers such as Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton did not feature, with the series instead shining a light on drivers further down the grid such as Carlos Sainz and Daniel Ricciardo.

During an appearance at the Autosport Business Exchange in New York, Wolff discussed Mercedes’ decision not to initially partake in Drive to Survive, and suggested personalities like Ricciardo were crucial to attracting a fresh F1 audience.

"What happened is because we didn't feature, it gave Netflix the opportunity to show smaller teams, drivers that were not so much in the spotlight, like the four of us, like the two Ferrari and the two Mercedes drivers," Wolff explained.

"I remember lots of Daniel Ricciardo, the difficult upbringing of Esteban Ocon, and I think that captured audiences. So in a way, what we did was right, but it wasn't the reason we did it."

The Drive to Survive effect

It is no wonder Ricciardo attracted new fans via Drive to Survive, with the first season - which aired in 2019 - documenting his turbulent 2018 season.

The season covered highs such as Ricciardo’s Monaco GP victory, but also the difficult decision to leave a top team in Red Bull amid the increasing threat of Max Verstappen.

It isn’t just the drivers that became household names after Drive to Survive, with team bosses Wolff and Horner also becoming main protagonists.

The pair’s pantomime-esque rivalry translated trackside and in the media pen on occasion, with comparisons to ‘yapping terries’ and a porpoising row making headlines over the years.

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