Ricciardo reveals plans for a new scripted F1 series

Daniel Ricciardo says his role in a new fictional Formula 1 series will be to ensure it doesn’t stray too far from the realms of reality.

The McLaren driver will be an executive producer on the as-yet-unnamed project that will stream on Hulu. Ricciardo says he will try and make sure the series is grounded in some form of reality and expects casting to take place later this year.

“Basically it’s going to be a fictional F1 TV series, so think like 'Ballers' or 'Entourage' in the world of F1,” Ricciardo said. “I’ve teamed up with Temple Hill, who know what they’re doing in their field, so I have got my full trust in them. I’m going to act as executive producer but basically going to try -- where I can -- to steer the ship a little.

“It is fiction but I’ll try to give as much input that it stays on course and doesn’t go too far away where people go ‘OK, this would never happen, blah blah blah.’

"So I’m going to try and give the best advice I can when I can. But it’s definitely in the process. We’re at the point of now just finding a writer. I don’t want to put pressure on a time thing but hopefully by the end of the summer that’s all established and then it should be casting -- if you guys want to cast!”

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“Funnily enough, I’m not planning to be in it. It’s literally me from afar, but if they need a good-looking stud to cameo…”

The Australian says his series is not going up against Lewis Hamilton’s film project, in which the seven-time world champion will executive produce on a script featuring Brad Pitt.

“With Lewis’ thing, if anyone’s thinking of it like competition or something, it’s not at all. Obviously with what he’s doing, with Hulu and me and Netflix ("Drive to Survive") and all that, I think it’s cool that we’re using the growth of Formula 1 to get into projects like this and push the sport out. In a way I see it as like we’re all supporting each other to support the sport.”