Daniel Ricciardo is now ‘trying to figure out who I am’ outside of being a racing driver almost a year on from his Formula 1 career coming to a sudden end with Racing Bulls.
The Australian graced the grid for the final time last September at the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, while Red Bull’s sister team still operated as RB. And F1 commentator Alex Jacques has now exclusively told F1 Oversteer about how Ricciardo knew his departure was on the cards.
Ricciardo enjoyed 257 Grand Prix starts during his career in the pinnacle of motorsport from 2011 to 2024. The now 36-year-old also achieved eight Grand Prix wins, three pole positions and 32 podium finishes before being abruptly axed with six rounds of the 2024 season to go.
Red Bull decided to axe Ricciardo from the Racing Bulls line-up and use the end of the 2024 F1 season as their chance to test Liam Lawson, who then replaced Sergio Perez in their main team at the start of 2025. It was Ricciardo’s goal to return to Red Bull when he re-joined RB.
Photo by Morgan Hancock/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesDaniel Ricciardo knew his F1 career was over after qualifying for the 2024 Singapore GP
Jacques says Ricciardo knew the writing was on the wall for his future at Racing Bulls before the 2024 Singapore GP, as Red Bull put plans into motion to make a change prior to going to Marina Bay. It then hit home that his F1 dream was over when Ricciardo qualified only P16.
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STARTSWINSPOLESPODIUMSFASTEST LAPSPOINTSBEST CHAMPIONSHIP FINISH2578332171,3293rd (2014,2016)Daniel Ricciardo’s Formula 1 career stats
Yet it was only after the Singapore GP that Red Bull confirmed Ricciardo would leave Racing Bulls, with Lawson taking his seat. So, while Ricciardo had bought himself more time to try to change Red Bull’s mind in Singapore, he could not leave with much fanfare after the race.
Jacques told F1 Oversteer: “It’s interesting because I think that he had been informed of the team’s decision. So, this is my understanding of the events is that he had been informed of the team’s decision, but still believed that a brilliant performance could change things.
“And I think that speaks a lot to the power struggles that have gone on behind the scenes. The fact that you could tell a driver, ‘Okay, this is going to be your last race’, and he goes, ‘Yeah, but let’s just see until Sunday, let’s just see until Sunday’.
“His demeanour changed when qualifying did not go to plan, and he had a bad qualifying. And once he knew Singapore, obviously, you’ve got to be in the mix, and he’d put it in the top-five earlier in the year.
“So, it wasn’t fanciful that with a great qualifying performance and a Singapore race where there wasn’t a lot of overtaking, he could have got a great result. As soon as qualifying didn’t go to plan, and he knew he wasn’t going to get a big result, his complete demeanour changed, almost accepting at that point that his time in Formula 1 had come to a close.
“Very, very strange, though, to almost have to hedge, if that makes sense, from a broadcaster’s point of view, because everyone I know in the paddock absolutely loved working with the guy.”
Daniel Ricciardo is ‘very happy post-Formula 1’ following his sombre farewell
Photo by Jayce Illman/Getty Images
Cadillac considered offering Ricciardo a return to F1, but the Australian has closed that door as he looks at life beyond motorsport. The Perth native also recently noted that he is “trying to figure out who I am other than this race car driver” after his two decades of competition.
Ricciardo even told Ray White’s Connect conference that he is beginning to appreciate “the meaning of the importance of family and friends”. Jacques notes how drivers like Ricciardo have to give up so much at a young age to make it in motorsport, and especially to reach F1.
Jacques added: “In the pen, they loved interviewing him. He was a lot of fun. What you saw is what you got with Daniel Ricciardo, who was a nice, energetic person, had some amazing Grand Prix wins. So, for it to come to an unsatisfactory ending like it did mid-season, and not to be able to praise the guy to the hilt, which is what he deserved.
“I mean, it’s hard to make it outside of Europe in motor racing. You have to make a commitment very early on to come to Europe and to give up being close to your friends and family. You give your whole life over very, very early on to chase something.
“And to get on the Grand Prix weekend and to win eight times like he did, won the Monaco Grand Prix brilliantly, yeah, for it to almost stop without the fanfare it deserved was tricky.
“But I think in the days that followed, he did get the recognition he deserved, and he seems to be very happy post-Formula 1, from what I understand and what I see.
“So, it’s nice that he’s in a good place with it. But it was a very, very strange atmosphere because I think probably because of Drive to Survive and his popularity, it was probably outsized compared to his racing record.
“And that felt like a big character in Formula 1, taking a final bow, not quite in the way that anyone wanted it to happen.”