Happy Birthday, Daniel Ricciardo
Daniel Ricciardo turns 36 today. The former Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls driver is clearly enjoying an early retirement, with no intention—contrary to what some Australian outlets occasionally suggest—of returning to Formula 1 or any other racing category. Despite ongoing speculation linking him to a possible seat at the future Cadillac F1 team, Ricciardo shows no signs of making a comeback. Instead, motorsport has taken a back seat in his life, with only a few guest appearances at select events.
This weekend, he made a special appearance at the Daniel Ricciardo Series, a junior karting championship that features karts branded and sold by the Australian himself. The event was held at Buckmore Park in England. On Monday, June 30, Ricciardo was spotted in London at the Wimbledon tennis tournament.
Ricciardo is enjoying “retirement” life
During the karting event, Ricciardo spoke with the official Formula 1 website and shared his feelings about life after stepping away from the sport:
“I’m doing well. I’m just enjoying life a bit more in the ‘slow lane’. I know it sounds strange to say you’re retired at 35, but I’ve retired at least from the world I used to live in—and it feels fantastic. Being on a karting track today? Well, this is my first time back on track since Singapore, so it’s been several months. But it’s great to watch the kids race. That’s why I started racing in the first place.”
His comments hardly sound like those of a driver itching to get back into a race seat. And while recent rumors have pointed to a potential return to the paddock, any future involvement seems far more likely to revolve around commercial or ambassadorial roles rather than full-time racing commitments.
Back to his karting roots
“I took some photos with groups of kids,” Daniel Ricciardo continued, “and I can tell they’ve already formed friendships that will probably last a lifetime. My best friend today is someone I used to race karts with. It’s great to come back to where it all began. Now that I’ve stepped away from racing and my life isn’t so intense anymore, it’s nice to remember what it felt like at the start of my career.
Am I their hero? Well, everyone has their heroes. I know I would’ve been super nervous meeting someone I admired, so I understand how it might feel overwhelming. But these kids all seem pretty relaxed, and I’m probably not the only driver they’ve ever met.”
Daniel Ricciardo added: “If I can spark even a little inspiration just by being here and chatting with some of them, that would be amazing. That kind of thing really meant a lot to me when I was eight or ten years old. I was lucky with the advice I received—it was always just, ‘Go out and have fun.’ It wasn’t about trying to impress anyone or being someone you’re not. That helped me, especially because racing is… scary. And it gave me more confidence, even at school.
As for driving, honestly, I was just having fun. I was hanging out with friends, riding scooters, just being a kid—and my dad would always drag me back saying, ‘The kart’s on the grid, put your helmet on!’ Karting was often secondary. It was just about being in that environment with my friends,” Daniel Ricciardo concluded.
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