Daniel Ricciardo shares news of his post-F1 plans

Daniel Ricciardo gave updates on his situation after leaving the F1 grid in 2024, admitting that he is enjoying life a bit on the slow lane, several months after his last race.

A new life for the Australian

The Australian driver has experienced a few turbulent years in the sport. He found himself without a seat at the beginning of 2023, after a challenging period at McLaren, which led to an early separation at the end of the 2022 season.

Daniel Ricciardo then returned to the Red Bull universe as a reserve driver before being called up to replace Nyck de Vries at AlphaTauri (now Racing Bulls) mid-season in 2023. He stayed with the team at the beginning of 2024 but never managed to regain his former level, and was replaced by Liam Lawson after the Singapore Grand Prix.

Since then, Daniel Ricciardo – who is celebrating his 36th birthday today – has not raced but continues to be involved in training young drivers through the Daniel Ricciardo Series. This championship allows young talents to compete behind the wheel of DRS Ricciardo karts in the United Kingdom.

Present this weekend at Buckmore Park for a round of the series, Daniel Ricciardo shared his news with enthusiasm. He confided that this adventure reminds him of his beginnings in the sport.

« Everything is fine! I’m enjoying life in the slow lane a bit. It feels strange to talk about ‘retirement’ at 35, but let’s say it’s more like a retirement from the world I knew. And it’s cool », he says.

« It’s my first time on a track since Singapore, so it’s been several months. But it’s nice to see kids again, to feel that energy… That’s how I started karting. »

« I took photos with groups of children, and you can immediately see the friendships that are forming. Many of them will last a lifetime. My best friend today is someone I did karting with. It’s beautiful to return to this foundation, to the purest form of racing. »

Experience in the service of youth

Daniel Ricciardo also revealed that this break allowed him to better appreciate what a young driver might feel.

« Now that I am a little removed from all that, now that my life is less chaotic, it’s nice to remember what it was like to start », he explains.

« We all have idols, heroes… I remember how nervous I was at the thought of meeting those I admired. So I understand that some young people might be a bit overwhelmed. But everyone was super cool. »

« If I can bring a bit of inspiration or motivation today by talking with some children, that’s great. It’s exactly the kind of thing I would have loved to experience at eight, nine, or ten years old. »

Finally, Daniel Ricciardo shared the advice he would have liked to hear when he was their age: « I was lucky with the advice I was given. It was always: ‘Have fun.’ It wasn’t ‘Do this to get on TV’ or ‘You will make money.’ Just ‘Have fun.’ »

« And it also helped me off the track. Racing is impressive. But it gave me confidence, even at school. We are all shy at that age. »

« On the track, honestly, the most important thing was to have fun. I hung out with my friends, we rode scooters, and my dad would chase after me to make me wear my helmet.

Karting was almost secondary. What mattered was the environment, the friends.

Even though rumors had suggested a possible return to Formula 1, the driver with eight victories seems to have found a field where he is truly thriving.