Daniel Ricciardo Explains How He Turned ‘Humiliation’ Into Feeling ‘Proud’ After F1 Exit

Daniel Ricciardo Reflects on His Formula 1 Departure

Former Red Bull Racing and McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo has candidly detailed the emotional aftermath of his mid-season exit from Formula 1 in 2024. The Australian fan favorite, known throughout the paddock for his charismatic personality and aggressive dive-bomb overtaking, departed the sport following the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix after an arduous campaign with Racing Bulls. Ricciardo made his Formula 1 debut with HRT midway through 2011, embarking on a top-flight career that yielded eight Grand Prix victories and 32 total podium finishes.

Speaking in an in-depth interview on the official podcast F1 Beyond The Grid, Ricciardo shared how the immediate aftermath of losing his seat forced him to confront difficult internal realities. You start racing at such a young age and over the years you build a ruthlessness, but that also is inward as well, Ricciardo explained. You know, you can be very harsh on yourself and expect a lot from yourself.

I think that my view of it was [that I was] failing, not performing to the level I needed to at the time or not being able to finish out the season or whatever. It’s then a sense of humiliation, like I failed and I didn’t do what I once could. Trying to deal with those next few months, I understood it as I was just hiding from the humiliation, he continued. People saw me out in public. I was having a good time and having a drink or whatever, and I was just really hiding from what I really felt deep inside, which was a lot of pain and sadness. You know, I was once this kid that was hoping at least to fight for a world title and obviously winning races or whatever, but now it’s like, oh, it’s gone.

Finding Relief in the Red Bull Family’s Driver Swap

Despite the acute sting that accompanied the premature end to his 2024 campaign, Daniel Ricciardo conceded that the decision by Racing Bulls leadership to substitute him with New Zealand reserve driver Liam Lawson provided him with an exit ramp he might never have taken on his own. The veteran driver acknowledged that walking away voluntarily from the relentless adrenaline of Formula 1 is a hurdle many competitors struggle to navigate.

Everyone’s path is going to be different. I think actually the fear I had, in hindsight and learning how content I am not having that anymore, is that what if they kept just extending contracts for me? Would I keep doing it? Was I ever going to turn the tap off? Ricciardo noted. I know I wanted to at times. I can tell you right now in Monaco 2022 after the race, I’m sitting in my apartment talking to my team and I was like, ‘I don’t want to do this anymore. I’m done’.

He revealed that such moments of fatigue were not isolated to his McLaren stint, recalling similar feelings during earlier phases of his tenure: And I’ve had these conversations more than once over the years – Silverstone 2015 was another time. Sure, you have lows and whatever, but there’s moments where I’ve wanted to just get away from it. But the reality is, would I have?

I also think you have people around you that tell you a great tale, you can still do it, and you end up believing a lot of these voices. I know they don’t mean harm but you don’t really get a chance to have your own thoughts much, Ricciardo explained. I think that would have probably just continued, and maybe I’d still be racing and that’s also a scary thought. I still don’t like how it ended, but there’s also a part of me which is grateful that they pulled the trigger because I wouldn’t want to be doing it now.

Transitioning From Lingering Regret to Pride

While the Australian has not committed to any future motor racing programs outside of Formula 1, distance from the paddock has allowed him to recalibrate his perspective. Instead of fixating on the difficult final chapters, he now views his historic milestones—such as his redemption victory at the 2018 Monaco Grand Prix with Red Bull and his 2021 triumph at Monza with McLaren—as genuine achievements among an elite circle of competitors.

In the aftermath of everything, I use the word failure and humiliation in these things, and I appreciate a lot of the stuff I’ve said probably feels very negative or heavy, Ricciardo stated. But now that I’m out of that, I think being able to understand more [about] life and a lot of things around that, I look back now with much more of a smile than I did a couple years ago.

I am definitely proud. I think sometimes you also never really want to reflect that much, especially when you’re racing, because you nearly spook yourself. If I’m like, ‘Oh wow, I did that’, you’re just like, no, can’t think about that. I’ve just got to stay on it because it was all just weird for me, he observed. Maybe every F1 driver feels this, I don’t know, but there’s so few of us. It’s not imposter syndrome because I believe I was definitely good enough to be there and all that, but it’s like, how did this happen? You know, how am I one of the 20?

I’ve won races. It can be overwhelming to reflect. But now that I’m in, let’s say a good, even-keeled place, I’m extremely proud, shocked in many ways that it all happened, Ricciardo concluded.

Why This Matters

Daniel Ricciardo’s comments shed rare light on the psychological challenges elite motorsport athletes face during unwanted career transitions. In a high-stakes arena like Formula 1, contracts can terminate mid-season with immediate effect, leaving established front-runners to process career displacement under global scrutiny. Ricciardo’s candid admission highlights the fine line drivers navigate between enduring external performance expectations and recognizing personal burn-out, while validating Racing Bulls’ strategy to introduce younger talent like Liam Lawson to preserve long-term organizational competitiveness.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Daniel Ricciardo’s final Formula 1 race?

Daniel Ricciardo competed in his final Grand Prix for Racing Bulls at the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, after which the team confirmed he would be replaced by reserve driver Liam Lawson for the remainder of the season.

How many Formula 1 races did Daniel Ricciardo win?

Throughout his career spanning from 2011 to 2024, Daniel Ricciardo earned eight Formula 1 Grand Prix victories and secured 32 podium finishes across his stints with HRT, Toro Rosso, Red Bull Racing, Renault, McLaren, and Racing Bulls.

Has Daniel Ricciardo confirmed his participation in other motorsport series?

Daniel Ricciardo has not committed to returning to active competition in other racing championships. While he remains open to future possibilities, he has expressed contentment with exploring his life away from full-time racing.