Daniel Ricciardo reveals stance on potential motorsport return after F1 exit

Although Daniel Ricciardo has declared “never say never” to a return to racing, today, he’s really enjoying not competing.

Ricciardo walked away from Formula 1 after the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, with the Honey Badger’s retirement announcement coming as a surprise, but not a shock.

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Winning grands prix with Red Bull, and even one with McLaren, Ricciardo was sidelined in 2023 when he was dropped by the McLaren squad.

He immediately rejoined Red Bull as a reserve driver for both Red Bull and its second team, before being promoted mid-season to an AlphaTauri seat.

That, however, didn’t go to plan.

Ricciardo broke his hand during the third race of his comeback, the Dutch Grand Prix, and opened the door for Liam Lawson to have a look-in. A look-in that, when Ricciardo didn’t make an impact in the fight for a senior Red Bull seat, paved the way for Lawson to have a trial in the latter part of 2024.

And so Ricciardo’s F1 career petered out with a fastest lap in Singapore 2024 and a guard of honour. The confirmation, though, only came days later.

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But for the eight-time grand prix winner, it came at the perfect time as he was already questioning his love for motor racing.

“At the end of my career, I was like, ‘Why do I love it?’ And I just wanted to remove myself for a bit,” Ricciardo said on the Speed Street podcast. “But I think going to other races kind of rebuilt a healthy relationship with it.”

Last September, the Perth-born star later announced his retirement from motorsport before taking an ambassadorial role with Ford, Red Bull’s new technical partner.

However, Ricciardo, although retired, is refusing to completely shut the door on a return to racing – even if F1 isn’t on the cards.

But it won’t be about winning, or titles, it would just be for fun.

“Never say never,” he insisted.

“I’m really enjoying not competing where I currently sit, and just enjoying the small things in life, and not having to kind of be on a stage and all that.

“Do I know what I’ll feel in three years, five years? No. If I was to do something maybe one day, it would definitely be more from a fun aspect than, like, ‘I’m chasing some championship’ aspect.

“I don’t need to hold a trophy in something. I don’t need this for myself. Sometimes that can take the enjoyment out of racing.

“It’s a balance, because you want to have goals, and that’s obviously what gives you that purpose in the morning. To wake up and push yourself and get in the gym and all that.

“But sometimes that can also rob some of the joy.

“I just want to make sure if I was to ever do something again, it’s just joyful, and I don’t have to prove anything or try to be the best. I just want to have some fun with it.”

Ricciardo is looking forward to his Indy 500 event as a spectator, the first for the Aussie.

“I was in the F1 sphere bubble for so long and I got used to how intense the schedule was – the paddock, all of it – and that became normal.

“But now that I’m outside of it I’m like: ‘Oh, that was as far from normal!’

“The schedule was that down to the minute, so there’s a curiosity with what a week looks like for you for the biggest race of the year.

“So the schedule, and your personal time compared to your ‘on time’, I’m curious to see how that is and how laidback are the drivers, or how intense and switched on they are the whole weekend.

“So there’s [stuff] like that from my past I’m curious about.

“I think the sheer size of the infield and the sound [also attract me to the Indy 500].

“That’s probably what I was drawn to most with racing, how cool race cars sounded, so very curious to hear what you sound like wide open and just seeing, coming into Turn 1, how scary that looks.

“I’ll be glad that I don’t have a suit or a helmet on!”

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