An amicable farewell
Daniel Ricciardo has opened up again about his surprising departure from Formula 1, which occurred in an unusually low-key manner, without major farewells or even a formal announcement that the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix—far from the season finale—would be the last race of his career. The accomplished Australian driver, who undoubtedly left his mark in the F1 paddock regardless of wins, holds no bitterness. On the contrary, in hindsight, he expressed gratitude toward Red Bull for the immediate decision to let him go—the second such instance in two seasons, as he had previously left his McLaren seat to Oscar Piastri at the end of 2022 despite still having one year on his contract. This abrupt change ultimately helped him reach the difficult personal decision to retire.
Daniel Ricciardo speaks
The 36-year-old Australian shared his emotions in the Drive podcast, interviewed by Ford CEO Jim Farley: “In the end, they fired me—that was the reality of the situation at the time (after the 2024 Singapore GP). And looking back, I think I was actually fired twice in the last two years of my Formula 1 career. It had drained me, I had given it my all, and I was exhausted. But in hindsight, I’m grateful to Red Bull for making that decision for me. Otherwise, I think it would have been very difficult for me to say on my own, ‘Okay, it’s over.’ Instead, in that moment, I realized I was ready to step away from racing because I knew it had become difficult for me to perform at the level I could achieve. For some reason, I had lost something, and it’s okay to admit that.”
“There are people who love you and will continue to tell you that you’re amazing and that you can do it,” he added, “but as much as you love them back, you have to simply close the door, make that decision on your own, and be really honest with yourself. If I had made it to the end of last year, I think I would still have had many of these thoughts and that inner dialogue, because I knew it was becoming harder and that I would have to dig really deep to achieve a result I could be proud of. You always want to believe that everyone is looking out for you, and probably they still are, but they don’t know what it’s like to be you and find yourself in your situation.”
“Last year, after my retirement, I allowed myself a lot of time to reflect and come to terms with my career,” Daniel Ricciardo concluded. Today, he continues to stay involved in motorsport as a brand ambassador for Ford.
Daniel Ricciardo’s honest assessment of his final years in Formula 1 provides a rare glimpse into the psychological toll of elite motorsport. By choosing to view his exit through a lens of gratitude rather than resentment, the “Honey Badger” remains one of the sport’s most respected figures, successfully pivoting from a decorated racing career to a significant role in the future of the automotive industry.
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