Daniel Ricciardo appears to have found his groove outside of Formula 1. A few months after his last race in 2024, the Australian is visibly enjoying a quieter existence, though he remains closely involved with motorsport. During a visit to the UK’s Buckmore Park for a kart race in his own Daniel Ricciardo Series, the former Red Bull driver gave a candid update on life after Formula 1.
“Everything is good,” Ricciardo cheerfully told Formula1.com. “I’m just enjoying life in the slow lane. It might sound strange to say that I’m already retired, but that’s kind of what it is – retirement from the world I lived in.” The Australian celebrated his 36th birthday on Tuesday. Not necessarily a retirement age for a Formula 1 driver, considering that Nico Hülkenberg, Lewis Hamilton, and Fernando Alonso are still making waves in the sport.
Unfortunately, Ricciardo’s Formula 1 career was marked by decline in recent years – especially compared to his younger teammates. After a difficult period at McLaren and an early dismissal in 2022, he returned to Red Bull as a reserve driver in 2023. Midway through that season, he unexpectedly stepped back into the then AlphaTauri, replacing Nyck de Vries. He managed to keep his seat, but he never really found his old form. After the Singapore GP in 2024, he was sidelined in favor of Liam Lawson.
Stepping Back from Racing
Yet, Ricciardo seems to harbor no resentment – quite the opposite. He is now able to enjoy racing from a distance. “It’s great to be back on the kart track,” he said. “It’s my first time on a circuit since Singapore. But it’s cool to see all these young kids. That’s how I started with karting too,” he explained, visibly at ease among all the young racing talent. “My best friend is someone I used to race karts with. That’s why it’s nice to be back at the basics – at the purest form of racing.”
Formula 1 fans continue to hold Daniel Ricciardo in high regard, as was evident during the recent Austrian Grand Prix.
Ricciardo’s presence in his own karting competition, where young talents race in DRS Ricciardo Karts, did not go unnoticed. Many young fans wanted to take a photo with him, and Ricciardo saw his own enthusiasm reflected in theirs. “Now that I’ve stepped back from Formula 1 and life isn’t as chaotic, I remember what it was like to be at the start of my career,” he said. “If I can provide a bit of inspiration or motivation by being here and talking to some kids, then that’s something I also valued when I was young.”
Finally, Ricciardo was asked about the advice he wished he had received while growing up. “For me, it was always: ‘Make sure you have as much fun as possible’,” he responded. “I wasn’t doing it to impress or become famous – you just had to have fun. And that really helped. Racing is scary, you know? But that mindset gave me confidence, even off the track.” For now, a return to Formula 1 seems unlikely for Ricciardo, but with his world-famous character, the affable Australian remains a beloved figure in motorsport – even when he’s standing by the track.
