Daniel Ricciardo Shocked by Life After Leaving Formula 1

Daniel Ricciardo has admitted he only fully realised how extreme the lifestyle of a modern Formula 1 driver was after stepping away from the grid at the end of the 2024 season. The former Red Bull Racing driver revealed that years inside the Formula 1 environment had made the relentless intensity of race weekends feel completely normal.

Ricciardo’s Formula 1 career came to an end following the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix when he departed RB after an internal performance evaluation. The Australian closed a 13-year F1 journey that included eight grand prix victories, most of them achieved during his highly successful years at Red Bull in the V8 hybrid and early turbo-hybrid eras.

While competing in Formula 1, Ricciardo said he never fully appreciated just how tightly controlled and demanding a driver’s schedule had become. Technical briefings, simulator work, engineering meetings, sponsor obligations, media activities, and recovery programmes now dominate nearly every minute of a modern grand prix weekend.

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"I was in the F1 bubble for so long. I got used to how intense the schedule was, the paddock, all of it, and that became normal," Ricciardo told Speed Street.

"But now that I'm outside of it, I'm like, 'Oh, that was far from normal.' The schedule was down to the minute," he added.

From a technical and operational perspective, Formula 1 has become significantly more complex over the past decade. The expansion of real-time data analysis, increasingly sophisticated aerodynamic development, and growing commercial demands mean drivers are now deeply involved not only in driving but also in engineering feedback and global promotional activities.

Ricciardo has since been enjoying more personal freedom following his departure from Formula 1, although his interest in motorsport culture remains strong. Next weekend, he is scheduled to attend the Indianapolis 500 to promote his wine brand alongside IndyCar driver Conor Daly.

The Australian explained that he is curious to compare the atmosphere and workload of the Indy 500 with the environment he experienced during his Formula 1 career. Ricciardo wants to understand whether IndyCar drivers approach major race weekends with a different balance between personal time and professional intensity.

"There's a curiosity of what a week looks like for you during the biggest race of the year. I'm curious to see how relaxed the drivers are, or how intense and switched on they stay throughout the weekend," Ricciardo said.

Ricciardo’s comments once again highlight the enormous physical and mental pressure associated with modern Formula 1. With an ever-expanding race calendar and increasing commercial obligations, the life of an F1 driver now resembles a year-round global operation rather than a traditional race weekend schedule.

Although Ricciardo has not indicated any plans to return to full-time racing, he remains one of the most recognisable personalities in international motorsport. His appearance at Indianapolis next weekend is also expected to generate significant attention from both IndyCar and Formula 1 audiences.