-Welcome to The Daily Show.
-Thanks. W...
This is so, so, so good
having you here.
Uh, I've been a fan
of Formula One my entire life.
I know most Americans
are like, "What is that?"
-(laughter) -Mm-hmm.
-But now that is changing.
And I think a lot of it has
to do
with this new show on Netflix.
Ha-Have you felt the change
in your life?
Because you-you...
you were one of...
It is... it's not even
an exaggeration to say.
You are one
of the best drivers--
not of just that--
of, like, drivers in the world.
-Like, that's who you are.
-Yeah. I guess.
-(laughter) -Thanks.
-Well, not "like." You are.
-Yeah. I guess. Uh, no, I am.
-(laughter)
I'm very, very modest. Um...
Judging by
the-the audience here,
I-I definitely feel
the, um, F1's becoming...
It's-it's become much more
of a thing here in the States.
-Yeah. -You know, Drive
to Survive put it on the map.
Um, and it's been cool.
You know, I spent a bit of time
in the States,
and up until a year ago,
not really anyone would say "hi"
to me.
Um, not-not in a bad way,
but rec-recognize...
(laughter)
-Recognize me for...
for being an F1 driver. -Right.
And now it's all,
"Yeah, we saw you on Netflix.
It was great.
Drive to Survive."
And, um...
and we touched on it before.
You know, we wear helmets,
so not really many people
can see our face
a lot of the time,
so putting a name...
or a face to a name--
-is that what you say?
-Yeah, yeah, yeah.
The face to the name.
And I think a face
to the sport as well.
One thing that I know a lot
of people have loved about you
in the show is getting to know
Daniel Ricciardo.
So, I mean, those
who know you in the sport,
like, a lot of people refer
to you as the Clown Prince.
-You know? They'll be like...
-(laughter)
No, they go like...
'cause you're also one
of the most charismatic drivers.
A lot of the drivers are
very serious.
They're like, "I drive."
You know?
That'll be, like, the interview.
They're be like,
"What do you like?"
"The car was fast. We drive."
-(laughter)
-You're always making jokes.
Like, a race won't go well,
you'll-you'll take it
and be like,
"I'm gonna get faster,"
but you always make a joke
about it, you have fun with it.
Is that... is that
because you're Australian?
(laughter)
-Is that because of your fam...
No, I really want to know,
like, why you're so...
so chilled and still so good.
Uh, well, firstly,
I think those others that...
are a little bit, um...
like that,
-Yeah.
-they don't help the sport.
They don't help it, and, uh,
no, I think, you know, for me,
I've... I think growing up
in Australia, you know,
growing up with sunshine
and, uh, you know,
live close to the beach,
it's-it's kind of just, uh,
I don't know,
it turns your personality
-into a bit of happiness.
-Yeah. -(laughter)
And I'm doing, like, I'm
doing my dream job, you know?
-And it's...
-Right.
you have to be reminded
sometimes.
You know, you get so competitive
and sometimes so caught up in it
that you do forget, like,
a little bit of perspective.
And, uh, it is my dream job--
like, I travel the world
to drive cars in circles,
which is pretty awesome, so...
-I mean, there's some turns
here and there, but... -Yeah.
Yeah, yeah. You... I mean,
the way you described it
made it sound like
a traveling Uber driver,
-but that's not...
-(laughter)
I don't think
that's what you meant.
Because you go around...
there are...
For those, like, people
who don't know the sport,
you know, Formula 1 is a sport
where you have the fastest cars,
ostensibly, in the world, that
can corner faster than anything.
Is it true that
you can drive that car
upside down in a tunnel?
I've heard this said many times.
-Can you?
-Yeah. I've never done it.
-Um... -But you...
they say you can, right?
Yeah. So,
through-through the, um...
-It's called downforce.
-Right.
So, the cars are very...
um, let's say
aerodynamically sound
that, uh, they-they produce...
What is the grip
is a lot of this downforce.
-Yes. -So it's like... the car
is like a vacuum to the track.
So I guess at a certain speed,
we could pretty much
go upside down in a tunnel,
and the vacuum effect
would keep us...
-upside down.
-I-I think you should do that.
Yeah. It'd be...
It'd make great TV.
There needs to be one racetrack
-where every car
has to go upside down. -Yeah.
-(laughter)
-Let's... Let's let...
Let's let Vin Diesel
try it first.
(laughter)
Um, you-you grew up in a world
where you wanted to be
a race car driver.
Um, what a lot of people
don't know about this sport
is how hard it is
to get into the sport,
how hard it is
to stay in the sport.
You have so few drivers who are
competing for every single spot.
The story that we saw about you
is really interesting,
you know,
because you were at Red Bull.
You-you were having
a really successful season,
and then you decided to take
a chance and move to Renault.
They were changing their car.
They were changing engines.
They were changing, really,
what they were doing,
and you took this chance.
Like, is that, like,
challenging as a driver?
'Cause it's not just you
but it's also the car, as well.
Is that... Is that ever,
like, a tough situation to be in
as a race car driver
where it's, like,
your talent
versus the car's talent?
Yeah, absolutely. That's...
You know, there's...
It's probably the one thing
I-I dislike
about my chosen profession,
you know?
It's-it's... Unfortunately,
it's not like tennis
where you can only blame
the racket so much, you know?
-It's-it's pretty much...
-(laughter)
I mean, some-some like
to smash the racket a few times.
But, uh, anyway, um, there...
You know, it is...
There is a lot of equipment.
It is
a very equipment-dependent...
But, you know,
that's-that's the sport.
And then, you know,
your-your job
is to try and put yourself
in the best team
-to give you the best equipment.
-Yeah.
But, uh, it's-it's like
a technology, you know, battle,
um, with the manufacturers.
And it's-it's crazy.
But, you know,
I think to get on the grid
-and there's, you know,
20 drivers... -Right.
Um, that's obviously
an achievement in itself,
but then you obviously want
to be the best
and-and get yourself at the top.
You've seen yourself
on the podium multiple times.
You know,
you've had opportunities
to pop the champagne
and celebrate.
I can't imagine
what that feeling must be like.
I've always wanted to know
though, as an F1 driver,
how do you drive in real life?
(laughter)
Like, if I was on the freeway,
-would I know that it's you?
-(chuckles)
Or would I be disappointed
to see that it's you?
(chuckles)
Probably disappointed.
Um, I-I feel
like you're all expecting
a-a pretty fun answer,
but it's... it's not.
-Uh... -Are you just,
like, a chilled out,
-like, just cruise along?
-Yeah. Yeah.
-Do you sing in the car?
-Yeah, I do.
I feel like you're singing--
Yeah, you seem
-like the "sing in the car"
type. -Yeah.
I-I-- All I need
is my music in the car,
and-and I'm-I'm good.
-So, um... And I...
-Do you ever sing
-while you're driving
on the racetrack? -Yeah.
-Like, in your head?
-Yeah.
-Oh, man. -'Cause sometimes
the race might be a bit,
-like, boring, I guess, so...
-(laughing)
I got to entertain myself.
(chuckles)
What is the best song you sing
while racing?
Like, what is a song where,
like, it just gets you going
-when you're going around?
-Um...
Aw, I'm on the spot now.
Uh...
'Cause, like, I know when I'm--
when I'm driving fast,
-I'll sing Shakira.
-Ooh.
Like, always. ♪ Oh, baby,
when you talk like that ♪
♪ You make a woman go mad ♪
(muttering lyrics)
That's, like, my...
That's-that's my thing.
I love it.
(cheering and applause)
Do you have anything?
-I guess the question--
Well, two questions. -Yes.
Did you love seeing her
yesterday?
-Yeah, yeah, of course.
She was amazing. -And...
your hips, do they lie?
(laughter)
(whooping)
(cheering and applause)
This interview
just became R-rated,
-so we're gonna have to end it.
-(chuckles)
Thank you so much for being
on the show, my friend.
Really great to have you here.
Season two
of Formula 1: Drive to Survive
will be available on Netflix
February 28.
You'll really want to watch
the show. So amazing.
Daniel Ricciardo, everybody.
