The latest season of Drive to Survive is already out battling the elements in the harsh climate of today’s Formula 1. The volatile 2024 season was packed with surprises, both nice and devastating. However, Red Bull dropping Daniel Ricciardo with 6 races left to go was definitely not a pleasant experience.
Now, the Netflix series navigates the treacherous waters of F1 fandom without its fan-favorite poster boy. Although Daniel Ricciardo’s emotional exit powered Drive to Survive Season 7, the Netflix show is left to contend with his absence in Season 8 – a vacuum that can hardly be replaced by just about anyone.
However, 2026 might have a few surprises for us as well.
Daniel Ricciardo finds a second shot at redemption
In every sport, there comes a time when even the best of players are burnt out after a certain period of peak performance. And even though Daniel Ricciardo may be a “high-performance athlete,” it is not ideal to stagnate in a career where one can neither improve nor contribute anything further to the team.
As such, Red Bull dropped the Aussie driver after his underwhelming output in their junior team VCARB. However, when one door closes, America comes to the rescue with a battering ram. Consequently, Cadillac – an American entry backed by General Motors and TWG Motorsports – will now enter the Formula One grid as the 11th team in 2026.
According to Metro UK, TWG chief executive Dan Towriss has claimed that the team is already looking to sign with top-tier talents. It has also been reported that Cadillac is on the lookout for an American driver and an experienced racer for its debut season.
While there are no shortages of American racers who can make their transition from IndyCar, there are only a handful of options when it comes to picking a veteran F1 driver who is still fit and eligible to race on the tracks.
Considering how all eyes will be on the new team, Cadillac will be smart to consider either Daniel Ricciardo, the already fan-favorite golden boy, or Sergio Pérez to score points among the North American audience.
Daniel Ricciardo’s stance on joining Cadillac in 2026
While no official talks have begun between Cadillac and any of the experienced Formula 1 drivers for the 2026 season, one can always hazard a guess regarding who is eligible to take the seat in the coming years. 2024 saw the exit of Valtteri Bottas, Checo Pérez, Zhou Guanyu, Logan Sargeant, Kevin Magnussen, and most importantly, Daniel Ricciardo.
Among the above, Guanyu will serve the 2025 season as a reserve driver for Ferrari, and Sargeant will join the European Le Mans series. But if one were to pick a veteran driver with an aggressive edge and good cutthroat instincts, none other than the Honey Badger fits the profile.
However, when asked about his future in F1 and whether he wishes to make a comeback, Ricciardo simply said, ‘Nah, I’m done,’ according to Metro UK. Considering his previous experience racing alongside four-time world champions Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen and winning 8 Grands Prix himself, the Aussie driver would have been a good addition to the team.
Without any involvement from Ricciardo in the foreseeable future, Cadillac will now have to turn to Bottas or Pérez for their debut 2026 season if they are insistent on picking a veteran racer.
Drive to Survive Season 7 is currently streaming on Netflix.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
