Daniel Ricciardo talks openly about doubts, setbacks and the moment he realized his Formula 1 career was coming to an end
In a candid interview with Ford CEO Jim Farley, former Formula 1 driver Daniel Ricciardo has spoken about how he realized when the time was right for him to leave the premier class.
“I’ve definitely had to try and understand a lot over the last 12 months about the right time to end your career, because you don’t usually get it back once it’s over,” he explained.
Ricciardo admitted that he first thought about ending his career in Formula 1 as early as the end of 2022, after his contract with McLaren had expired. “In 2022, I struggled a lot in my second year at McLaren. They let me go. So I started 2023 without a seat and thought: ‘Is this maybe it? Should I just end it now?’ But I knew there was still a burning desire inside me.”
It was important for Ricciardo to make this decision independently of external influences. “I really had to try and look in the mirror and say to myself: ‘Okay, forget what people say and what they want, what do you want?” said the Australian.
When asked if this was a purely personal moment, he added: “I tried to make it as personal as possible. There are always opinions, even if they’re your parents’ or whoever’s, but ultimately I did my best to make sure that fire was still there inside me.”
Ricciardo initially returned to Red Bull as a reserve driver. He then replaced Nyck de Vries at AlphaTauri (now Racing Bulls) in mid-2023, making him a regular driver in Formula 1 again.
However, the new start was bumpy: Ricciardo broke his hand in an accident in Zandvoort after just a few races. “I’ve never had a racing injury in all these years and then I have this silly accident. I asked myself: ‘Is this a sign now? Should I just quit while I’m still halfway there?” he recalled. “But I thought to myself, ‘No, there’s unfinished business’, and I fought through it.”
Ricciardo remained with Racing Bulls for the 2024 season, but was replaced by Liam Lawson after the Singapore Grand Prix. Although the decision was made by the team, he feels no resentment today. On the contrary: he is glad that the decision was taken away from him.
“I lasted another year in Formula 1 and was then finally let go. That was the reality at the time,” Ricciardo admitted. “But I think when that happened, I realized that I had been sacked twice in the last two years. It had also taken a lot out of me. I had put a lot of my soul into it and felt pretty exhausted. Looking back, I was grateful that they made the decision for me.”