What Drive to Survive were doing with Daniel Ricciardo in the Singapore Grand Prix paddock

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RB star Daniel Ricciardo and the Netflix series Drive to Survive go hand in hand and both are equally responsible for the other’s popularity.

Daniel Ricciardo is one of the most recognisable stars in Formula 1 having been on the grid for more than a decade.

At his peak, he put three-time world champion Max Verstappen in his place as his Red Bull teammate and even when he left the team, his time at Renault was very successful.

However, a tough stint at McLaren saw him lose his seat to Oscar Piastri and his return to the grid last year hasn’t led to the upturn in form many would have expected.

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RB appear to have decided to part ways with Ricciardo ahead of the next race in Austin after a difficult Singapore Grand Prix.

Formula 1 photographer Kym Illman was speaking in the Singapore paddock on his Instagram about the Australian driver.

Ricciardo was given a guard of honour on his way back to the RB hospitality suite and was clearly emotional during his various media duties.

Netflix – as they have been for years now – was present in the paddock and it looks like Ricciardo’s potential exit from the sport could be featured on the next season of Drive to Survive.

It would be a fitting way for Ricciardo’s time in F1 to be chronicled given the notoriety he’s gained from being one of the show’s biggest stars.

What Drive to Survive were doing with Daniel Ricciardo after the Singapore Grand Prix

Reflecting on the Grand Prix and Ricciardo’s post-race activities, Illman said: “I’m standing outside the front of the V-CARB hospitality suite here but I can tell you that we are saying goodbye to Daniel Ricciardo.

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“What we’ve seen here tonight has been quite remarkable. Daniel has been hugging everybody, people have been coming up to him saying how much of a treasure he is for Formula 1.

“A lot of people saying that Red Bull have done him dirty by not coming clean and I guess letting people know what the situation is well before this situation. He sat in his car for a long time after the race gathering his thoughts.

“He must be the last driver in this paddock, and I don’t think he wants to leave.

“Lando Norris went and had a chat with him afterwards, Netflix has been following him around, as I said, only Daniel I believe if left in this paddock.”

Illman later revealed that Ricciardo didn’t leave the paddock until 1:46 am local time and said in a separate Instagram post that it was a ‘bizarre and emotional night’ for the 35-year-old.

Daniel Ricciardo’s close relationship with Netflix series Drive to Survive

The first season of Drive to Survive reflected on the 2018 F1 season and had a heavy focus on the Red Bull team.

Some teams weren’t sure about opening their doors to the documentary makers but Red Bull spotted an opportunity and Ricciardo became their biggest star.

The first episode of the first season concentrated on Ricciardo as he believed he was entering the most important campaign of his career alongside the Haas team with Guenther Steiner becoming the other recognisable face of the sport.

Ricciardo has seen several team changes, a parting of the ways with McLaren and a redemption story with AlphaTauri chronicled by the series and Drive to Survive may have just captured his final moments as well.

Christian Horner admitted during last year’s Drive to Survive that Ricciardo still had something to prove, unfortunately, it doesn’t look like he’s done enough this year to extend his time on the grid.