Once upon a time, it used to be that the most talented drivers made it into Formula One. Quaint notion, I know, but that was way back in Ye Olde Times. Then it came to pass that most drivers couldn’t make it into Formula One on talent alone… they also had to bring money… buckets and buckets of money. I know, I know… like neon and Member’s Only jackets… so ’80s! But now, just this year, I believe we’ve entered into an entirely new era. Starting this year, apparently money and talent can now be trumped by something even more powerful… social media.
In the off chance that you’ve either been off on a Tibetan solitude retreat for the past several months or in a coma, there has been a lot of media hype building into next month’s start of the 2024 F1 season. But of all the drivers making appearances and posting wacky videos online, who do you see the most? Reigning champion Verstappen? Multiple past champion Hamilton? No, the media darling of the 2024 race season is unquestionably Daniel Ricciardo… a reserve driver. Huh?
