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Daniel Ricciardo - social success analysis
I was watching a docuseries on Formula 1 and analysing the drivers' personalities. A lot of the drivers have a large fanbase and are widely liked but in this series it's hard to sympathise with most of them because(among other things) they seem to act selfishly on track, are frequently aggressive with one another and when they loose, they deflect blame onto their car, teammate, other drivers, etc.
One significant exception to that is Ricciardo who throughout the series appeared more likeable, despite behaving the same way as the others on track. This is my opinion, but there is data that point in the same direction, such as the fact that he is in top 3 for Instagram followers and had the 3rd best salary despite never being champion(albeit the data on salaries is unreliable and can't be trusted fully).
Here is a breakdown of what I think makes him likeable/socially successful.
1.Jester style of dominance
He seems to belong to what Lucio defines as Jester. He is dominant because he surprises everyone with unexpected pranks and jokes. This also makes him a breath of fresh air in the serious and competitive F1 environment.
Another example:
2.Not bitter
Even when he is aggressive, he doesn't get hung up about his adversaries.
3.Finds it easy to open up
Here, he recalls what he thought about the movie as a kid, which some people would be embarrassed to vocalise. This humanises him and makes him relatable to the viewer. This is a big difference from other drivers who always make serious, somewhat scripted/prepared statements.
4.Not afraid to mention his dark side
He jokingly tells how he gives other drivers the finger. Since most people have had similar urges when driving, they will find him relatable.
5.Professional competence
He shows he knows a lot of theory about driving and can explain its terminology (he isn't just a guy who can drive a car fast). This shows that he is competent and makes people interested in what he has to say.
I found his character interesting so I did this small analysis. Let me know if you have something to add or if you disagree with anything I've said.
