‘Selfish’ Daniel Ricciardo shares new update on life after F1

Almost a year on from his untimely F1 exit, Daniel Ricciardo has given his most extensive interview yet as he moves on from a “crazy high-speed life” to a “little bit of stillness.”

Fan-favourite Ricciardo walked away from the Formula 1 paddock last year when he was dropped from Red Bull’s second team to make space for Liam Lawson’s six-race audition.

Daniel Ricciardo: I’ve been trying to figure out who I am

It brought an end to Ricciardo’s 14 years on the Formula 1 grid.

Starting out as a Red Bull junior, Ricciardo won seven races at the senior team before his shock announcement that he was off to Renault for the 2019 season.

But long before his two-year contract with the Enstone team had expired, he announced he was swapping to McLaren.

Ricciardo signed a three-year contract with the Woking team but was let go after just two seasons after a host of disappointing results.

He returned to Red Bull as a reserve driver before racing for the second team in a bid to see if he could work his way back into Red Bull Racing.

But failing to set the stage alight, he was dropped after the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix.

And so his F1 story came to an untimely end.

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But 11 months down the line, Ricciardo is appreciating the difference between his life as a Formula 1 driver and today’s bearded stillness.

Headlining Ray White’s Connect conference, Ricciardo was asked by renowned sports presenter Mel McLaughlin about life after F1.

“Well, I haven’t been shaving my face,” joked the Honey Badger. “The beard is my comfort right now.

“This year has been a bit of self-exploration. I lived this crazy high-speed life for so long and this year I’ve sat into a little bit of stillness.

“I’ve had a lot of time, I’ve done some hiking. I was in Alaska a few weeks ago and didn’t get mauled by a grizzly which was a bonus.

“I’ve been trying to figure out who I am other than this race car driver.

“I’ve come to appreciate the little thing more and the meaning of the importance of family and friends.

“I’ve always been driven and that sometimes leads you to being selfish, so I’m trying to learn to be a bit more selfless and become a better listener.”

Ricciardo left the Formula 1 grid with eight race wins, 32 podiums and three pole positions. He also twice finished on the season’s podium with P3 results in the Drivers’ standings in 2014 and 2016.

As with most of the drivers on the grid, it all began in karting with Ricciardo karting from the age of nine as a member of the Tiger Kart Club.

Progressing through the junior formula where he won the Formula Renault 2.0 WEC and British Formula 3 championships, he made his F1 debut with HRT Formula 1 Team in 2011 and left the sport in 2014 having raced for five different teams.

“Childhood was great,” he said, “I was always driven to do something that scared me a bit.

“The reason I got into racing was because no one was really doing it. It was my chance to do something a little bit cooler than everyone else.

“I was just showing off, but showing off has got me to a really good place in life.”

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