Daniel Ricciardo Is Producing a Scripted Formula 1 TV Show With Hulu: Report
Photo: Dan Mullan (Getty Images)
Daniel Ricciardo may not be enjoying a 2022 campaign with McLaren that’s meeting his or his team’s expectations, but he nevertheless remains among Formula 1’s most memorable, well-liked personalities. That’s in part due to Netflix’s Drive To Survive, where the Aussie’s sense of humor really shines. If you feel you could use more Danny Ric-adjacent content in your life — couldn’t we all — you’ll appreciate the latest from The Hollywood Reporter, who tells us the eight-time Grand Prix winner is executive-producing a half-hour scripted series for Hulu.
Supposedly the project is still searching for a writer. Beyond the format, destination and Ricciardo’s involvement, we know little else about it at this juncture. Lionsgate and Temple Hill Entertainment are said to be on board, and none of the parties involved have confirmed the show’s existence.
The Honey Badger’s supposed series joins a range of F1-themed projects in the works across the show business industry — chief among them the Apple-funded film starring Brad Pitt, directed by Top Gun: Maverick’s Joseph Kosinski and executive-produced by Lewis Hamilton. Apple won a fierce bidding war to nab that movie, and it may even launch in theaters before it lands on streaming. The tech giant also secured the rights to a feature-length documentary about Hamilton, that too with a title yet to be announced.
For a while, seemingly every high-level motorsport category was chasing a Drive To Survive-style entertainment tie-in of its own, docuseries or otherwise. MotoGP Unlimited didn’t seem to garner enough attention to justify a second season, while Kevin James’ The Crew — a Netflix comedy with full support from NASCAR — was canceled a year ago. IndyCar may still have its moment — even if it already produces something likely better — but nothing else in racing has succeeded on DTS’ level.
It’s quite possible nothing will. Ricciardo’s effort reminds us that F1’s burgeoning American popularity hasn’t yet passed. If anything, we’re still very much living through it.
