Netflix’s Drive to Survive brought a huge influx of fans to Formula 1, and there is no debate about it. The way it presented the story attracted viewers of all kinds, which is now leading to the Americanization of the sport. But it’s not just the sport that has benefited from the storytelling of what is now one of the most anticipated series on the OTT platform.

With each dramatized season, the show allegedly portrayed a protagonist and an antagonist, and fans believe that Daniel Ricciardo was always shown in a good light compared to his teammates. And it doesn’t matter what kind of light the show casts the Honey Badger in; we all know how happy he is, which is also a big reason for his massively increased social media presence and devoted fan base.

And this same fan following, mostly American in recent years, is behind Ricciardo’s successful return to F1 after a poor season with McLaren, albeit as a reserve driver at Red Bull. During an episode of the VF1 Show with VF and Vincenzo, Vincenzo Landino, in his podcast, snubbed the driver’s abilities and cited Ricciardo’s popularity as the reason for his latest appointment.

He said, “The way the reason why he’s got a reserve position with the best team on the grid is because of that charisma that he is. Absolutely. Last year, we were tracking social media for all the drivers, all the teams, all the sponsors, and Daniel consistently was the number one driver for engagement across social media.”

“I don’t have the current numbers in front of me, but Daniel always had the highest engagement. His fans showed up, they would interact with his content and so there’s a lot to be said for that,” he said, clarifying that the Aussie had the best ratios of engagement, although not the best numbers.

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Although Daniel has proven his prowess on the track countless times, the claim by Landino does seem real. The driver does have an unmatched charisma, and moreover, it fits well with the team’s plans to promote the team in the United States, since the sport plans to expand in the country.

Red Bull makes motive clear for hiring Daniel Ricciardo

Daniel Ricciardo had a hard time being away from his home, which is Red Bull. But now, even though he returns in a very limited capacity, as already cleared up by the team, he claims he is happy to be back. The limited capacity entails only a few drives during the season and no guaranteed drive on weekends.

Vincenzo added, “I mean, Red Bull put it out there in their statement. It was pretty much like, oh, he’s going to be involved in all the marketing stuff and test drives and all that. I mean, they’re literally using him as a marketing tool, right? They almost came out and just said that, right? The only reason we’re using you is for marketing. So you can’t can’t ignore the power of social media.”

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For now, there are no tests, or PR events planned for the Aussie. But his absence shouldn’t be mistaken. Given the skills that he possesses, he can always be roped in. The two main drivers, Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen will only benefit from the added pressure, and fans will possibly be happy in all scenarios.