Daniel Ricciardo’s ‘vulnerable’ admission in sad final farewell to F1

As Daniel Ricciardo said farewell to Formula One for the final time, he made a confession that suggested he was ready to retire.

Six months after his career ended, the last chapter has set on Daniel Ricciardo’s time in the F1 sun.

Ricciardo’s 14-year F1 career came to a halt at the Singapore Grand Prix last year when he was dropped mid-season by Red Bull’s feeder team and replaced by Liam Lawson, who was later announced as Sergio Perez’s replacement at Red Bull.

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The beloved Aussie fan favourite was brought to tears in Singapore as the reality set in that he had driven his last F1 race.

The dust has settled but Ricciardo fans would have been forgiven for shedding a tear as he bid a final farewell to the sport in the seventh season of Netflix’s Drive to Survive, released this week.

It draws the curtain down on Ricciardo’s F1 story. One of the original breakout stars of the documentary, he famously called Netflix a “bunch of c****” in the first season and endeared himself to a whole new legion of F1 fans, particularly in America.

Wearing casual clothes and sipping a glass of whisky, Ricciardo said: “This is it.

“I never thought I would have this career. I never through I’d be here, you know? That’s the truth.

Daniel Ricciardo has bit farewell to F1 and Drive to Survive. Photo: Netflix.

“Yes, my dream was to be world champion and there were years along the way where I genuinely felt like it was gonna happen.

“I got close, that’s OK. If I was world champion sitting here today, would it change how I feel or how I view myself, or anything like that? I don’t think so.

“Maybe my ego would be big. We don’t want that. I have no regrets.”

Ricciardo said his performance at last year’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone left him questioning whether he still had the fearless mindset to put his body at risk driving at 300km/h.

“In those tricky conditions … I don’t know,” he said.

“I guess I don’t want to admit it but yeah, I believe I’m still willing to put it all on the edge but maybe I ask the question now, where as a 22-year-old or a 25-year-old, you probably don’t ask the question.”

Asked for details on that question, Ricciardo replied: “I don’t know if I want to say it, because it’s too vulnerable.

“Like ultimately, is it worth the risk? Yeah, it just opens you up for weakness.”

Daniel Ricciardo was starting to question whether he was still fearless on track.

A clip from early in the season shows Ricciardo speaking to a Red Bull communications officer about how he was a genuine chance to replace Perez. But the Aussie’s form didn’t do nearly enough to press his case and he found himself out of the sport.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner reflected: “If Daniel had have been banging on the door putting on some really great results, then that would’ve been a way easier decision.”

A montage of Ricciardo’s best moments at Red Bull, Renault and McLaren showed just how much he achieved in his career — but the question remains, did he reach the heights he could have?

F1 commentator Will Buxton said: “I always thought Daniel Ricciardo had at least one Formula One championship in him and I know he did too. But it’s game over.”

Ricciardo and Max Verstappen famously clashed as Red Bull teammates in 2018 but get on like best friends these days, as was evident from a hilarious exchange between the pair in the documentary.

Ricciardo is sitting in an ice bath with Verstappen chatting to him on the other side of a wall.

The Dutchman said: “We used to sit next to each other in the tub.”

Ricciardo replied with a smile: “Oh yeah.”

Verstappen added cheekily: “Maybe tickling the bumhole a little bit,” which elicited a huge laugh from Ricciardo.

It was a touching moment between two drivers who came so close, yet so far to reuniting.

This week Ricciardo launched a new wine and he will have a clothing pop up store in Melbourne next week with his brand Enchante. But Ricciardo won’t be on track at Albert Park.

The 2025 F1 season kicks off next weekend in Melbourne with the Australian Grand Prix.

Watch every race as well as every practice and qualifying session live on Kayo Sports, it’s the only place to watch Lewis Hamilton’s first official laps in a Ferrari.

Originally published as Daniel Ricciardo’s ‘vulnerable’ admission in sad final farewell to F1