Daniel Ricciardo has opened up about life away from Formula 1, describing the past year as “a bit of self-exploration” and admitting he is “trying to figure out who I am” outside the world of racing.
The Perth-born driver walked away from the F1 grid after last season’s Singapore Grand Prix, closing the book on a career that stretched across 14 seasons and saw him become one of the sport’s most recognisable faces. Ricciardo made his debut with the struggling HRT outfit in 2011 before rising through Toro Rosso, earning promotion to Red Bull where he claimed seven of his eight Grand Prix victories. Further chapters followed at Renault and McLaren before a short-lived return to the Red Bull family with RB in 2024.
In total, Ricciardo competed in 257 races, starting from pole three times, standing on the podium 32 times, and collecting over 1,300 championship points. His most famous win came on the streets of Monaco in 2018, a career highlight that he still finds hard to believe really happened.
Ricciardo speaks up on a life past F1
Since stepping away from the cockpit, Ricciardo has largely avoided the public eye, making only occasional appearances at events connected to his karting series. His latest comments came during a talk at Ray White’s Connect conference in Australia, where he gave a rare insight into his post-F1 life.
“Well, I haven’t been shaving my face,” he joked. “The beard is my comfort right now.”
Turning more reflective, he added: “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 [bear], 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[s] more and the meaning of the importance of family and friends.“
Ricciardo added, “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.”
Looking back at an extraordinary career
Ricciardo also took the chance to think back to where his journey began. And how unlikely it seemed that it would lead him all the way to Formula 1.
“[My] 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.”
Looking back on his career, he admitted: “Sometimes I think about things like winning Monaco and think, ‘Did that actually happen?!’.
“I always loved racing, but I never thought I’d have the career I had and make it to F1.
“You just have to take everything one step at a time. If you look too far ahead, everything looks a bit daunting.”
