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“They change four wheels in less than 3 seconds!”: Daniel Ricciardo educates LA Lakers guard Patrick Beverly and NFL star Derwin James about F1

Somin Bhattacharjee
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"They change four wheels in less than 3 seconds!": Daniel Ricciardo educates La Lakers guard Patrick Beverly and NFL star Derwin James about F1

Daniel Ricciardo is one of the most popular F1 stars today. He lost his seat with McLaren at the end of the 2022 season, and won’t be in the grid full-time in 2023. Despite that, he remains one of the most recognizable faces in the sport.

Ricciardo is particularly fond of the United States of America, and the crowd there seems to love him too. Every year ahead of the US Grand Prix, no driver is as excited as Ricciardo. He loves traveling to Austin, Texas, and repeatedly insisted on how much the state feels like home.

Ahead of this year’s race in COTA, Ricciardo took time out to talk to stars of some of the most popular American sports. In a promotional video shot for the F122 game, Ricciardo sat down with Patrick Beverly and Derwin James. Other than playing the game, they also spoke about the sport as a whole. Some of the facts shared by the former Renault driver left Beverly and James completely baffled.

Also read: Sebastian Vettel talks about life after Formula One after winning Autosport’s Lifetime Achievement Award

Daniel Ricciardo tells Pat Beverly why F1 drivers have ‘fat necks’

F1 is a growing sport in the US. Over the last few years, its popularity has soared in America, but room for even more growth remains. Beverly and James, however, play sports that are much more popular in the country.

Beverly is a veteran of the NBA and has played for some big NBA teams, including both the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers. James meanwhile, is a star in the NFL and had his contract with the Los Angeles Chargers extended ahead of the 2022 season. He was a first-round pick in the 2018 draft.

While talking to Ricciardo, James was stunned to know that F1 drivers have all four tires changed within just three seconds. The Perth-born driver then explained what driving an F1 car actually feels like.

“You ever been in a roller coaster?” he asked. “So you know in a roller coaster when it turns and you feel like you’re kind of getting like pushed out of it, that’s what it’s like in an F1 car because it’s called G-force. So, we’re getting 5Gs, that’s why we got fat necks.”

Also read: “Honored to win this award”: Lewis Hamilton wins bags prestigious Driver of the Year award at Autosport’s annual prize-giving

Where will Ricciardo be in 2023?

Midway into the 2022 season, McLaren announced that Ricciardo won’t continue with them in 2023. The Aussie’s young compatriot and 2021 F2 Champion Oscar Piastri will replace him at the Woking-based outfit.

Ricciardo meanwhile, insisted that he does not want to stay back in F1 and drive for a backmarker team. This is why he made the decision to join Red Bull as a reserve driver for the 2023 season.

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

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Formula 1 Editor Somin Bhattacharjee fell for the sport as well as Fernando Alonso on the same day — during the Spaniard’s thrilling victory at the German GP in 2010. Over the years, the passion magnified manyfold, and metamorphosed into a writing career in 2021. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. He has penned over 2,700 articles for TheSportsRush, presenting a diverse range — news reports, opinions, and exclusives. A true Tiffosi, Somin never gives up on a chance to defend the Ferrari boys as a fan. As a sports writer though, he remains objective to the core and relishes opportunities to follow and engage in dissecting the action during races. That’s where the real thrill lies for him. Beyond the racetrack, Somin plays different sports including soccer. He enjoys exploring other sporting events and proudly supports Spanish soccer club Real Madrid.

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