Formula One is one of the most fascinating sports to have ever come into existence. But Netflix’s Drive to Survive has turned it into a soap opera – in the producer’s own words – and that makes it a little hard for those who know F1 inside out to find common ground with the DTS fanboys.
The one thing that both parties can agree on, however, is how adored Daniel Ricciardo is, both on and off the tracks.
The happy-go-lucky Australian race car driver has been a steady presence in Formula One since his 2011 debut with HRT. The following decade that saw him racing for McLaren and Red Bull only added to his popularity. But after struggling through the 2023 and 2024 seasons, he finally retired in September ’24 after the Singapore Grand Prix.
Now, a twist of fate seems to work in Ricciardo’s favor, as he may yet get another shot at returning to F1 in 2025.
Daniel Ricciardo’s difficult journey in Formula One
![Daniel Ricciardo after Monaco GP [Credit: Drive to Survive]](https://fwmedia.fandomwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/03093313/Daniel-Ricciardo-contends-with-his-loss-at-the-Monaco-Grand-Prix-Credit-Drive-to-Survive-Netflix.jpg "Drive to Survive: Netflix’s Golden Boy Daniel Ricciardo’s F1 Journey May Not Be Over if Max Verstappen Hands Him a Lifeline 2")
For an Aussie who spreads warmth, joy, compassion, and positivity wherever he goes, the cutthroat world of Formula One was a little too hard on him – and understandably so. Despite Daniel Ricciardo‘s competitive streak that landed him in F1, the driver’s last 2 seasons were spent moving from one junior team to another.
In 2023, Ricciardo was brought in as a reserve driver for Red Bull but spent most of the year hanging back as Verstappen and Pérez dominated on the tracks. Halfway through the season, Ricciardo was loaned out to Red Bull’s sister team, AlphaTauri (now renamed Visa Cash App RB), before eventually being dropped from F1 entirely in September 2024.
However, Formula One is currently up in arms over Max Verstappen‘s ongoing swearing controversy with the FIA. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is adding further fuel to the fire by calling for a ban, something that will definitely work to the Silver Arrow’s advantage.
But amid all the chaos and drama, there exists a slim possibility for Ricciardo to get back in the Red Bull driver’s seat at least for one race in 2025.
2025 brings plenty of drama for Drive to Survive
It is hardly an episode of Drive to Survive without the series going off the rails with its dramatic exaggeration of actual events. The controversial series that has helped F1 reach a fanbase all over the globe during the pandemic era has also contributed to Daniel Ricciardo’s surmounting popularity by making him their star golden boy.
But after his mid-season retirement in 2024, Drive to Survive will limp through the end season arc in Season 7 – but 2025 promises a glorifying comeback and redemption arc for the infectiously cheerful Aussie.
As per the FIA rules, 12 penalty points earned over the course of 12 months leads to a one-race ban for the driver in question – in this case, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. Currently, the 4-time world champion has already amassed 8 points and is dangerously close to being banned, given his refusal to be intimidated into submission by the FIA’s increasingly unrealistic censorship.
Verstappen’s ban will throw Daniel Ricciardo a lifeline to return to Formula One once more and replace the Dutchman for a single race in 2025. As such, Drive to Survive, if renewed for Season 8, will have enough on-track drama and behind-the-scenes politics to cover an entire season without having to fabricate content for once.
Drive to Survive Season 7 premieres on Netflix on March 7, 2025.
The 2025 Grand Prix season will begin with the Australian GP on March 16, 2025.
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