“They’re Grabbing You & Pulling You Away”: American Sweetheart Daniel Ricciardo Opens Up on the Dark Side of Fame in the US

Daniel Ricciardo has been in America for the past few days now. His fans saw him enjoying the past week immensely. The Honey Badger visited the Red Bull car launch after his appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. There in New York, he became part of ESPN’s podcast “UNLAPPED.” The Australian there discussed all things American while also sharing his views on his interactions with US fans.

Despite being an Aussie by birth, Daniel Ricciardo has always considered himself an American. Notably, the race at COTA isn’t the only reason why he loves returning to the country. Rather, the ‘cowboy’ atmosphere in Texas is what draws him to the country. Ahead of this past year’s US GP last year, when Ricciardo rode into the paddock on a horse, he simply attained the love of his supporters. After that, the nation sees the 33-year-old as one of their own. However, if you’re a superstar, you could occasionally get requests for selfies or autographs from followers and admirers. Additionally, it is a fact that every fan will have different expectations for how they want to interact with their favorite celebrity. Keeping this in mind, stardom, unfortunately, can also have a negative side, which Ricciardo has certainly experienced.

While describing his interactions with American fans, Ricciardo, in the UNLAPPED podcast, said, “I think like obviously you go and there’s like respect it’s [fine]. If you’re like about to like have a mouth full of food and they’re like grabbing you and like pulling you away and having a photo… That’s alright. Maybe wait a couple of minutes.”

“But no everyone’s been like really nice and respectful and as I said, just complimentary, so not many give me a hard time so.”

READ MORE: F*ckin Perfect” Daniel Ricciardo Takes Credit for Wooing USA as Americans Gush Over Their New Sweetheart

Undoubtedly, Formula 1 is growing internationally. And there is a compelling reason why the pinnacle of motorsports has expanded to every region, as Daniel Ricciardo recently explained.

Daniel Ricciardo reveals the real reason behind Formula 1’s popularity in America

We already know how much Daniel Ricciardo adores America and vice versa, but putting that reason aside, let’s take a look at how Formula 1 has become popular in the United States, attracting more spectators from the country than before.

Being F1’s largest market, the US now has three major racing circuits among the 23 races, with Las Vegas being the most recent addition to the calendar. Additionally, after a long long time, America will see a native-born American, Logan Sargeant, compete in the sport.

When Daniel Ricciardo appeared on Stephen Colbert’s late show, he was quizzed about Formula 1’s achievements, specifically the reason behind the growth of Formula 1 in America. Answering the question, the Honey Badger said, “I was going to say something serious. But ultimately, I think it’s my good looks!”

However, Daniel Ricciardo acknowledged the role that Netflix’s hit show Drive to Survive played in the sport’s growth. He continued, “I feel it was inevitable to blow up here in the States because you do sports so well. And it was just a matter of time before it accelerated through this Drive to Survive show now.”

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Daniel Ricciardo won’t be driving for a team in 2023. He will, however, support Red Bull with the simulator, car development, and promotional events. The Honey Badger getting a chance to race at any of the US tracks could be more exciting. But with both Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez doing really well for the team, that seems like a long shot.