Toto Wolff agrees with Daniel Ricciardo over Miami Grand Prix team principal parade plan

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Mercedes boss Toto Wolff and McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo both showed no remorse upon learning the team principals’ parade set to go ahead of the Miami Grand Prix has been cancelled. The rather strange pre-race event was set to occur to take advantage of the rise in F1’s popularity in the United States thanks to Netflix’s Drive to Survive. 

Traditionally before each F1 race, the drivers gather together on the back of a truck and paraded in front of the fans although sometimes they are chauffeured around in classic cars. The original Miami schedule was set to include a new addition, with team principals appearing to get their moment in the spotlight.

The team principals’ parade was seemingly conjured up to jump on the hype and raised profiles of the bosses that has come through Netflix’s popular docuseries. F1 has seen its audience boom in recent years, credited largely to Drive to Survive’s success as well as to the increased excitement brought by Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen’s epic 2021 rivalry. 

However, Wolff appeared to be pleased that the idea was scrapped. The Austrian confirmed the parade was cancelled, and didn’t hide his feelings: “I’d rather avoid [the parade].

“I don’t think that team principals or team owners should be waving at the fans. I love the fans but it should be the drivers who are in the forefront. 

“They are the athlete, the gladiators in the machines, and not any of us.”

The announcement of a team principals’ parade reportedly raised eyebrows and even led to some chuckles around the paddock. When McLaren’s Ricciardo was asked about the parade, the Australian admitted the concept was an odd idea.

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“I don’t want to be mean to the team principals,” Ricciardo told Insider while laughing. “It was a little strange that they would be doing a parade. 

“It felt a little over-the-top. I don’t want to rob them of their moment, but maybe that was a little too much.”

The awkward waves from team principals will unfortunately not be seen next weekend in Florida. The 22-race F1 2022 campaign – which is expected to return to a record 23 races in the near future once a Russian Grand Prix replacement is found – continues with the Miami Grand Prix on May 8.

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