Former Formula 1 driver Daniel Ricciardo has opened up about the heavy psychological toll and emotional struggle he faced following his departure from the premier class grid. Speaking on the F1 Beyond The Grid podcast, the veteran racer reflected on the turbulent months after Racing Bulls dropped him in the wake of the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix.
Falling short of the performance level required and being unable to see out the full campaign triggered profound feelings of inadequacy and humiliation. While public appearances painted a picture of a cheerful athlete enjoying life, the reality behind closed doors was an overwhelming wave of pain and sadness as a lifelong childhood dream came to an abrupt halt.
“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,” Ricciardo stated. He explained that masking his true emotions in public was simply a defense mechanism to hide the deep heartbreak of losing his place in the sport he loved.
The conclusion of a distinguished career that spanned 257 starts, yielding eight grand prix victories and 32 podium finishes since his debut with HRT in 2011, did not end the way he envisioned. Following his exit from McLaren at the end of 2022 to make way for Oscar Piastri, his Red Bull comeback was hampered by a broken hand and inconsistent results, ultimately leading to his mid-season replacement.
The intense pressure cooker of Grand Prix racing had previously driven him to contemplate voluntary retirement on multiple occasions, including after a difficult weekend at Silverstone in 2015 and following the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix.
“I can tell you right now in Monaco 2022 after the race, I’m sitting in my apartment talking to the team and I was like ‘guys I don’t want to do this anymore. I’m done’,” he recalled regarding the recurring thoughts of walking away from the paddock.
Although constant encouragement from those around him kept him in the sport longer than his instincts desired, he has since found peace away from the grid. Spending quality time with family in Perth, developing his Enchante fashion brand, and embracing a role as a global ambassador for Ford Racing have allowed him to rebuild his everyday life.
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