Daniel Ricciardo opens up on “a little more peace and balance” after leaving F1 behind

Daniel Ricciardo parted ways with the F1 grid after the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix as he made way for the incumbent Liam Lawson. Since then, the Aussie has kept much of his life away from the racing sphere and revealed how he has been more content with his life away from the grid.

Ricciardo made his debut in 2011 and soon rose through the ranks to emerge as the team leader at Red Bull. There, he amassed seven race victories before stepping up to his next chapter in F1, where the 36-year-old bagged another race win in 2021.

Despite his glimpses of stellar performances, he was axed by McLaren and was snubbed by Red Bull for a potential return to the top team. However, with his results at the B-team not being something out of the ordinary, and Lawson waiting on the benches, he was ultimately sacked by his previous employer.

This put an end to his F1 career, retiring from the sport altogether. Subsequently, the Aussie lay low apart from a few endorsements on his social media. So, when asked about how he has been working with his life away from the circus of F1, Ricciardo said in an interview with Men's Fitness:

"I definitely enjoy my own company more now. I think the meditation has helped, and I feel like I’ve definitely found a little more peace and balance with everything in my life. I’m able to give more of myself to others around me and show up more."

Daniel Ricciardo made 257 race starts in his F1 career spanning 14 years.

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Daniel Ricciardo revealed the impact of racing on his life

Daniel Ricciardo at the 2024 F1 Grand Prix Of Singapore - Source: Getty

Daniel Ricciardo's journey to F1 was not all flowers and sunshine. The Aussie trampled through various hurdles to join the grid with backmarker outfits in the 2011 season.

However, his performances and previous testing performance with Red Bull had earned him the call-up to Toro Rosso (now Racing Bulls), and the rest is history. Opening up about how one advice helped him in his racing career and how it impacted his life, he said (via F1):

"I mean, I think I was quite lucky with the advice. It was always just, ‘Go and have fun.’ It wasn’t about trying to impress someone or be someone you’re not."

"It kind of helped me also… like racing is scary, you know? I think it helped me at school have a bit more confidence. Everyone’s shy, we all go through things growing up, so I think it kind of gave me confidence in myself as a person, also away from the track. So, that’s something I took from it."

Ricciardo parted ways with the F1 world with eight race wins under his belt, placing him 37th in the all-time list.