Behind the scenes of Drive to Survive 7 on Daniel Ricciardo: Netflix wanted to tell a different story. Drive to Survive 7 struggled to manage Daniel Ricciardo's sudden exit from Formula 1.

Just like with a beloved character, the creators of Drive to Survive 7 struggled to manage Daniel Ricciardo’s sudden exit from Formula 1.

The Netflix docuseries, which owes much of its success to the American audience, had already had to come to terms with losing Gunther Steiner. The former Haas team principal is considered a star overseas thanks to his sharp sarcasm.

Motorsport, who previewed the new season, revealed the behind-the-scenes details of the firing of one of the “fan favorites” of Drive to Survive. The eighth episode is entirely dedicated to Daniel Ricciardo, and you can hear Helmut Marko mocking the Netflix crew, who wanted to tell a different kind of story: “Ricciardo will come out of his negative period and return to Red Bull Racing: this is the story Netflix had planned.”

Indeed, throughout the episode, the intention of the streamer is clear: the hope that Daniel Ricciardo, like a modern Cinderella, would have a happy ending and return to work alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull. The Australian himself appears uncertain about his future: “It won’t happen,” he admits in front of the cameras. Christian Horner shares the same view and confesses: “The range of options for him is so extreme: he could end up at Red Bull Racing or go back to the farm in Perth.”

Drive to Survive 7: The Details of the Episode on Ricciardo
At the same time, his direct rival enters the scene: Liam Lawson. Like in an old noir film, the New Zealander seems to be “plotting” behind Daniel Ricciardo’s back: “I would never want to see someone lose their job, but I’m not here to be a friend. I need a seat.”

Netflix is very skilled in telling the story of the hero (Ricciardo) who loses to the antagonist (Lawson).

As the episode progresses, Horner makes his decision to send the Australian packing with a phrase that reveals everything: “He thinks it’s better to look forward than backward.”

The last time the now-former F1 driver sits in front of Netflix’s cameras is to say goodbye to his audience. “That’s it.” And the curtain falls on Daniel Ricciardo.

Drive to Survive 7 premieres on Netflix on March 7.