Daniel Ricciardo, a perennial fan favorite, recently completed his final race for Visa RB in Singapore. His disappointing performance over the past year has led to his replacement by Liam Lawson in Austin. However, there is hope in Texas that Ricciardo will still travel to the United States Grand Prix – seat or not, the Australian remains a beloved figure among American fans.
Robert ‘Bobby’ Epstein, the head honcho of the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, discussed Ricciardo’s departure with ESPN. The American explained that the 35-year-old driver is still important to the fans, even though he no longer has a seat in Formula 1. “He can have just as big an impact at our event outside the car as in the car,” Epstein said.
‘Hope he focuses more on the fans’
“People didn’t necessarily buy a ticket to see him race – he wasn’t driving a competitive car,” the circuit boss explained. “The fans come because he is part of the Formula 1 community, and he can still do that. Ricciardo is really loved in Texas and I think he enjoys it here. It would be nice if he focused more on the fans now that he has fewer obligations.”
Thanks in part to the American Netflix series Drive to Survive, Daniel Ricciardo is incredibly popular with the American audience. In the United States, many people still see him as the face of the sport. Epstein hopes that the eight-time race winner will still travel to Austin at the end of October. “I hope Ricciardo still comes here,” he concluded. “Many people would like to shake his hand or take a picture with him. We’ll keep him busy.”
