Daniel Ricciardo is living his best life watching Bills game with fans

Following his unceremonious exit from the F1 grid, Daniel Ricciardo has been keeping busy, including a wild day in Buffalo.

Daniel Ricciardo is living it up away from the Formula 1 grid.

The 35-year-old was in his element on Monday (AEDT) as he mingled with Buffalo fans as the Bills prepared to take on the Kansas City Chiefs.

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While not in attendance at the game, the Aussie joined Bills fans at supporter venue Busby’s to watch the week 11 match unfold.

Ricciardo was seen slamming beers with the team’s diehard supporters as the Bills pulled off a stunning 30-21 victory over the previously undefeated Chiefs.

Ricciardo is good mates with Bills quarterback Josh Allen and was filmed losing his mind after the QB scored the matchwinning touchdown.

Watch the moment in the video player above

The former F1 driver has never been shy about his Buffalo fandom and it’s not the first time he’s been seen supporting the team.

Buffalo QB Josh Allen and Daniel Ricciardo ahead of the Bills game vs Miami. (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)

Two weeks ago during week 9, Ricciardo was in attendance as the Bills took on the Miami Dolphins in an epic 30-27 win.

The Aussie driver has had time to pursue some of his other interests following his exit from the Visa Cash App RB Formula 1 team after the Singapore Grand Prix in September.

Ricciardo was replaced for the final six races of the 2024 season by New Zealand youngster Liam Lawson.

While rumours swirled throughout the Singapore race weekend Ricciardo’s time was up, it wasn’t made official until four days later.

The unceremonious handling of Ricciardo’s final race left countless fans seeing red and blasting Red Bull for how it was handled.

VCARB chief executive Peter Bayer has since lifted the lid on those final moments, revealing this week they were simply going along with Ricciardo’s wishes.

Ricciardo’s last appearance for the team came in Singapore. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)

“We had agreed with Daniel that we would not communicate it,” Bayer told Auto Motor und Sport.

“We knew that we would look a bit outdated as a team. But we also did it to protect the driver. It was his wish.”

Despite the conversation taking place ahead of the race weekend, Bayer said Ricciardo refused to accept the deal was set in stone and was determined to show everyone he belonged on the grid.

“He believed right to the end that he would finish at the front in qualifying and show everyone,” Bayer said.

“I’ve never seen such mental strength in an athlete. And I’ve been in a lot of sports.

Peter Bayer (left), with Helmut Marko and Liam Lawson. (Photo by Peter Fox/Getty Images)

“It was a terrible moment when he exited in Q1. You could already hear on the radio that his world had collapsed.

“We then spoke to him again on Saturday. We sat together in our office at two o’clock in the morning and asked him what we should do now. He then told us that we should just let him drive the race. He just didn’t want any nonsense.”

It wasn’t the farewell fans nor Ricciardo had hoped for, with Bayer saying they ideally wanted to give him a proper send off following the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi.

“If Daniel had driven all the way to Abu Dhabi, then of course we would have celebrated his farewell with fireworks and a photo on the grid, just like (Kimi) Raikkonen back then. That’s what everyone would have wanted,” Bayer said.

Originally published as Daniel Ricciardo is living his best life watching Bills game with fans