The video looks at Daniel Ricciardo through one simple lens: timing. It delves into the various aspects of Daniel Ricciardo’s so-called ‘Almost Era’, examining the rise from junior grit to Red Bull race winner, then the power unit swings that shaped who could fight for a title. It revisits the first win in Canada, the head to head with a 4 time champion, and the late brake moves that made him a folk hero. Then it sits with the hard part. Baku. Politics in a fast garage. A tough choice to leave. You feel the “what if” on every beat, and you see how 1 or 2 different car cycles could have changed his life in the Daniel Ricciardo Almost Era.
2014 to 2016. Speed, craft, and a ceiling he could not break
Ricciardo entered Red Bull at full speed in 2014. He took 3 wins and finished P3 in the standings. He also outscored his teammate who had 4 titles. That first year should have been a launch pad. The problem was simple. Mercedes owned the new rules and the new energy units. Red Bull had pace, but not enough straight line power to cash out a title run, highlighting the limitations during the Daniel Ricciardo Almost Era.
The Canada breakthrough told the story. He waited, saved his tires, then made the pass late for his first Grand Prix win. Hungary and Spa added proof. The craft was there. The car ceiling was not. Those seasons built a reputation for fearless moves and clean race craft. They did not build a title push. You could feel it on Sundays when strategy gave him a shot, but the long runs told the truth. The door stayed closed, another sign of the Almost Era’s impact on Daniel Ricciardo.
“Both drivers were to blame.” Christian Horner, April 2018.
2017 to 2018. Baku pain, a hard choice, and a road that split the story
By 2017 the wheel was turning inside the team. A young star arrived with raw speed. The fight was fierce and fun, right until it was not. Baku in 2018 became the hinge. Two teammates battled, moved twice on a straight, and then both cars were out. The boss called them in to say sorry to the factory. Niki Lauda said the blame leaned more one way. Debate never stopped. The trust inside that garage never felt the same again. Years later he still smiles about the fight and the tumultuous timing that defined his almost era. He calls it fuel. He trains, studies onboards, and keeps the craft sharp for any seat that gives him a shot in his quest during the Almost Era.
Ricciardo chose a new road at the end of 2018. He left Red Bull and joined Renault. It looked like a brave bet on a works project. It also took him out of a package that soon found a title train with Honda. That is where the what if sits the heaviest. Looking back at the almost era of Daniel Ricciardo, one or two seasons in a different car cycle and this story might read as a champion’s arc, not an almost era.
Front row energy everywhere I go. Chasing championships and good times. 🏆🏁✨
