Daniel Ricciardo finds pride after painful F1 exit

Daniel Ricciardo says he can now look back proudly on his Formula 1 career after initially struggling with feelings of failure following his departure in 2024.

Speaking on F1 Beyond The Grid, the eight-time Grand Prix winner described how his public appearance of enjoying retirement concealed the disappointment he felt privately.

“I was just really hiding from what I really felt deep inside, which was a lot of pain and sadness,” Ricciardo said.

Time away has changed his perspective. He remains unhappy with how his final chapter unfolded, but now appreciates the opportunity to build a life beyond the demands of racing.

Singapore brought an abrupt end

Ricciardo’s final appearance came at the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix. RB subsequently confirmed Liam Lawson would replace him for the remaining six rounds, beginning in Austin.

The decision ended a career that included seven victories with Red Bull and McLaren’s memorable 2021 Italian Grand Prix win.

His return to the Red Bull family had followed a difficult two-year spell at McLaren. Initially joining as a reserve in 2023, he returned to the grid with AlphaTauri midway through that season before a broken hand interrupted his comeback.

He recovered and retained the seat for 2024, but the revival ultimately ended before the season was complete.

Finding distance from the pressure

Ricciardo explained that the self-criticism developed through a racing career made the loss of his seat particularly difficult to process.

He also questioned whether he would have chosen to stop if new contracts had continued to arrive. Despite having considered walking away during earlier difficult periods, he believes encouragement from those around him might have kept him competing.

That perspective builds on his earlier explanation of why he felt grateful Red Bull made the decision to end his F1 stint.

Accepting the decision has not meant becoming satisfied with the manner of his departure. Instead, Ricciardo now recognises that it gave him a stopping point he might have struggled to choose himself.

A different view of his achievements

Ricciardo remains undecided about racing in another championship. His latest comments centre on appreciating what he achieved rather than setting out a comeback plan.

After the initial disappointment, he says he can now reflect more positively on a career that brought eight victories and 32 podium finishes.

The change is in how he views those achievements: with greater distance from the pressure to deliver the next result, he can finally take pride in the career itself.