Daniel Ricciardo has revealed more details of his upcoming television series, set in the world of Formula 1, in an interview for RaceFans.
The McLaren driver’s fictional show is in development with American streaming service Hulu. He told RaceFans further details are being thrashed out over the summer break.“Basically we’re just looking for a writer. I think once you’ve got the writer dialled in, then production, everything, they’re all behind it.
“Obviously Hulu was all over it so it’s in the right hands and it’s now just finding an appropriate writer who’s going to take the show in a good direction.”
Being a “purely fictional” production may help Ricciardo’s series appeal to a difference audience than Netflix’s Drive to Survive docu-drama, which was renewed for two further seasons earlier this year. But Ricciardo doesn’t want his production to be a rival to existing and upcoming film and TV projects centred around F1 such as Lewis Hamilton’s film starring Brad Pitt which will be distributed by Apple.
“Obviously I hope it’s a success, but it’s not intended to challenge any of those, whether it’s Lewis’s, whether it’s Drive to Survive,” said Ricciardo. “I think it will be completely different.
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“But if you said five other drivers have said they’re doing projects, honestly that would make me happy, because we’re obviously trying to push the sport out into a bigger audience.”
Ricciardo has cited Entourage and Ballers, both comedy-drama series that focus on the lavishness of big business and major sports franchises such at the NFL, as inspirations for his show. He says he’s aiming for “that sort of vibe” with his end product.
That pitch has aroused public interest in Ricciardo’s show, and he’s pleased to hear that people want to know more about it.
“[That interest] is good. I’m in a way, not arrogantly, but I’m not surprised in terms of the interest of F1 right now as a brand, is so big. So I knew, especially when I think the Hollywood Reporter picked it up and kind of ran with the story, I was like ‘okay, this is probably going to get some traction’.
“But you never know, so I’ve certainly been happy to see it. But also, yes I want to talk about it, but it’s not about me. So I’m kind of excited that, sure Drive to Survive is that, and yes I’ll be putting my name to this and I will work behind the scenes with it, but I also don’t want it to be like ‘hey, this is Daniel Ricciardo’. I’m just going to be there kind of as a fan in the background trying to lend some light.”
However he admitted “I’ll probably end up getting more involved than I expected” with the series. He is spending part of his summer break in Los Angeles in meetings on the project.
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Dex
9th August 2022, 12:12
Looks like he will have plenty of time to make this TV show. The word is that he is being replaced by his Aussie friend from Alpine next season.
Nick T.
9th August 2022, 13:37
Love Daniel, but this is a really bad time for him to be promoting side projects. He probably knows that though and doesn’t really have an option. Must be awkward to do at a time I bet he just wants to lay low.
Mayrton
9th August 2022, 22:23
Well, that’s the thing with Ricciardo imho. He has not often shown real focus or seriousness towards what he should be doing in F1. It is of course his right and own decision but it had consequences ever since he left RedBull. Likeable chap but with a different agenda vs most other drivers so it seems.
Nick T.
11th August 2022, 10:26
I don’t know why some people think Daniel doesn’t show seriousness or dedication. I think it’s literally because he smiles and likes to laugh or joke around. I never heard a single team ever mention anything about a lack of work ethic. Also, I can’t remember Daniel having many side projects while many of the drivers have had a lot of side projects. Most famously, Lewis. Usually, these projects are things that are either done in the off season or don’t really require much time from the driver at all.
BasCB (@bascb)
9th August 2022, 13:43
I guess Daniel will be able to race in a fictional McLaren next year then! Or will part of his deal with McLaren be that he can cosplay being part of the team for the filming (in a bid to lower the severance payment)
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
9th August 2022, 13:43
The “Do a tv show for a drive” show
Leroy (@g-funk)
9th August 2022, 14:16
I’m sure there are some who do, but I have zero interest in an Entourage or Ballers copy but about F1. I wish Daniel would focus on racing instead of remaking bad Hollywood shows.
jff
9th August 2022, 15:51
I’ve never watched those shows, but wouldn’t mind a Ted Lasso kind of comedy based on F1.
For all we know Gunther Steiner started that production years ago ;)
Leroy (@g-funk)
9th August 2022, 19:09
A F1 Ted Lasso I wouldn’t mind but Entourage and Ballers are not that. They are all about celebrating the excess and bad behavior of over-indulged, over-sexed, over-payed, morally ambivalent primadonnas. Maybe as someone who grew up in the entertainment industry and saw this sort of “fiction” firsthand in real life, it strikes too close to home to me but that’s just me. If people enjoy it, that’s fine too. I don’t mind that it is on the air. I just wish that given the problems Daniel is having with getting to grips with the car, he would focus more on that. If he were beating or even on par with Lando, then I would say he could spend his off time doing whatever he wants. But he’s not there and at risk of being out of a competitive drive because of it.
José Lopes da Silva
9th August 2022, 20:41
Surely you’re not the target for it.
Olivier
9th August 2022, 14:48
First things first, Daniel. Whatever that may be.
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
9th August 2022, 14:57
Man, I loved Entourage. Hard to believe it’s nearly 20 years since it started – almost a generation away.
Soon, we’ll be like remember Seinfeld and Entourage? Damn it time, go back for once will you?
Josh (@canadianjosh)
9th August 2022, 18:22
Entourage was unreal, I guess that makes 2 of us who will watch his show. The rest of these comments must be from salty old men.
Mayrton
9th August 2022, 22:25
We have found some serious common ground here
Luke S (@joeypropane)
9th August 2022, 15:01
Lets be honest, it’s sounds horrendous and it very obviously isn’t being made for F1 fans (who have been actively advocating against artificial drama).
The problem is, if it paints an unrealistic picture of the sport and viewers watch a GP weekend and end up bored or unimpressed, it could do more harm than good…
Sonny Crockett (@sonnycrockett)
9th August 2022, 15:46
McLaren reportedly pay you $15m a year to be the best racer you can.
Try focusing on that!
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
10th August 2022, 22:51
How strange because if you pick monza 2021, not just because he won but because of his performance across the weekend, that was red bull-ricciardo and it was a win on merit, as in good chance even with verstappen and hamilton in, but then he more often than not is far far away from getting the max from the car
Nick T.
11th August 2022, 10:31
Yeah, cause Ricciardo’s past teams have really complained about his work ethic and focus a lot in the past…
You think if Ricciardo weren’t showing serious dedication Zak Brown wouldn’t be jumping all over that in the press as a reason for suggesting why Daniel has to go? Get real. Lewis has been doing celeb stuff non-stop for more than a decade. There’s a long off season and plenty of time where the drivers couldn’t be at the sim or with the engineers. So, it’s not like he’s skipping team meetings to do this show.
Nitzo (@webtel)
9th August 2022, 16:03
There is money to be made with this venture but unfortunately, at this moment, it feels like an unnecessary distraction. Spending even more time away from track might not be the best idea to pursue when your immediate future as a racer is on a shaky ground.
ajaya
9th August 2022, 19:25
this is why you will never see LH , or MV, or MS(when he raced) doing these things.. focus is name of the game!
yes LH has businesses’ but when on track and about F1 they don’t mess around!
Andrew Shortt
9th August 2022, 19:57
In fact, Lewis Hamilton is doing a movie about F1.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
10th August 2022, 22:53
Or alonso I think also.
Matt
9th August 2022, 19:48
I have this great idea too and ‘just need a writer’….
Mayrton
9th August 2022, 22:27
That part had me raise my eyebrows as well. Hilarious
Nulla Pax (@nullapax)
9th August 2022, 21:24
Love Islands Big Brother Bake Off meets Britain’s got Talented Drag Racers in Eurovision!
If even a fraction of a cent can be made in profit then expect Liberty to be licking your boots Danny ;)
Dane
9th August 2022, 22:14
At least he’ll have something to keep him busy while on the sidelines.
spoutnik (@spoutnik)
9th August 2022, 23:03
Entourage and Ballers look like pretty uninteresting with money, muscles and girls, by the looks of the trailers.
I’ll probably pass on that.
Jason (@jasonj)
10th August 2022, 3:25
You can always tell when a driver is on a downward spiral, Ricciardo before each season down talks his chances, talks himself up and downplays the car for past 4 pre-seasons, before even getting in the car.
Now he is ‘super excited’ about his Hollywood ambitions, and obviously more excited to be filmed than drive. He is completely naive to how ‘hollywood’ works or how a show is put together, so I doubt he’ll be around if the show ever gets made, unless he is personally funding it. But honestly, he is one of the least interesting characters in F1, apart from his likeability, he is a boring try hard that most people are tolerating. You can tell whenever he interacts with other drivers, he is always looking for attention and is repetitive and shallow, he is the typical sports Aussie, not interesting without his career, easily forgettable once they stop competing and the fabricated spotlight is gone. He is a probably a genuinely nice guy, but not a riveting character of any kind.
Since his career is quickly coming to a close, he wants to put himself in a position to be a ‘hero,’but he’ll get kicked to the side once real talent in production turns up.
PlosslF1 (@f1-ploss)
10th August 2022, 17:18
This, DTS and maybe no more Spa but more poxy street circuits shows that F1 is truly going full bore into a entertainment series.