Daniel Ricciardo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Daniel Ricciardo
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Ricciardo at the 2019 Austrian Grand Prix
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Daniel Joseph Ricciardo
1 July 1989 Perth, Western Australia, Australia
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| Awards | Full list |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality |  Australian |
| Active years | 2011–2024 |
| Teams | HRT, Toro Rosso, Red Bull, Renault, McLaren, AlphaTauri, RB |
| Car number | 3 |
| Entries | 258 (257 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 8 |
| Podiums | 32 |
| Career points | 1329 |
| Pole positions | 3 |
| Fastest laps | 17 |
| First entry | 2011 British Grand Prix |
| First win | 2014 Canadian Grand Prix |
| Last win | 2021 Italian Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 2024 Singapore Grand Prix |
| 2024 position | 17th (12 pts) |
| Previous series | |
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| Championship titles | |
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Daniel Joseph Ricciardo (born 1 July 1989) is an Australian racing driver. He competed in Formula One from 2011 to 2024. He is known by his nickname "the Honey Badger". Daniel Ricciardo won eight Formula One Grands Prix during his 14 seasons in the sport.
Born and raised in Perth, Australia, Daniel started kart racing when he was nine years old. He moved up to junior racing series in 2005. He won his first championship in 2008 in the Formula Renault 2.0 WEC. Then, he won the 2009 British Formula 3 Championship.
Daniel made his Formula One debut at the 2011 British Grand Prix with the HRT team. He joined Toro Rosso full-time in 2012 and 2013. In 2014, he moved to Red Bull Racing, replacing Mark Webber. He became teammates with the four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel.
In his first year with Red Bull, Daniel finished third in the championship. He won his first Formula One race at the 2014 Canadian Grand Prix. He also won races in Hungary and Belgium that year. After a season without wins in 2015, he took his first pole position in Monaco and won the 2016 Malaysian Grand Prix in 2016. He finished third overall again.
He continued to win races for Red Bull, including the 2017 Azerbaijan Grand Prix in 2017, and the Chinese and Monaco Grands Prix in 2018. Daniel then joined Renault in 2019 and 2020, achieving several podium finishes. In 2021, he moved to McLaren and won the 2021 Italian Grand Prix.
After leaving McLaren at the end of 2022, Daniel returned to Red Bull as a reserve driver in 2023. Later in 2023, he joined AlphaTauri (which became RB in 2024). He raced for them until the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix.
Daniel Ricciardo achieved 8 race wins, 3 pole positions, 16 fastest laps, and 32 podiums in Formula One. He was also honored as a Member of the Order of Australia in 2022 for his contributions to motorsport.
Contents
- Early Life and First Races
- Junior Racing Steps
- Formula One Journey
- Driver Style and Personality
- Personal Life
- Awards and Honours
- Images for kids
- See also
Early Life and First Races
Daniel Joseph Ricciardo was born on 1 July 1989 in Perth, Western Australia. His father, Giuseppe "Joe" Ricciardo, moved to Australia from Italy when he was seven. Daniel's mother, Grace Pulitanò, was born in Australia, and her parents were also from Italy. Daniel has a sister named Michelle.
Growing up, Daniel's earliest memories of racing were watching his father compete at a local track. He started karting at age nine. He went to high school at Newman College.
Junior Racing Steps
Karting Success
Daniel started karting at nine years old. He was part of the Tiger Kart Club and took part in many karting events. In 2005, he became the Australian karting champion. This win gave him a special pass to the 2006 Australian Grand Prix. There, he got to see the world of Formula One up close.
Moving Up in Racing
In 2005, Daniel entered the Western Australian Formula Ford championship. He drove an older car and finished eighth. Later that year, he tried the national Formula Ford series but his car was not competitive.
After finishing sixth in the 2007 Formula Renault 2.0 Italia series, Daniel was chosen to join the Red Bull Junior Team. This was a big step for his career.
Formula Three and Beyond
In 2008, Daniel made his Formula Three debut at the Nürburgring circuit. He quickly showed his talent, qualifying well despite little experience.
He then moved to the British Formula 3 Championship in 2009 with Carlin Motorsport. He continued to work with Carlin at the Macau Grand Prix.
Formula Renault 3.5 Series
In 2009, Daniel signed with Tech 1 to race in the 2010 Formula Renault 3.5 Series. He had already raced with them in 2009.
Daniel started the 2010 season strongly, getting pole position for both races at the first event in Spain. He finished third and second, leading the championship early on. He secured his first win in Monaco and two more wins in Hungary and Germany.
At the end of the 2010 season, Daniel was just two points behind the championship leader, Mikhail Aleshin. He finished second overall in his first year in the series. In 2011, Daniel raced for ISR Racing before getting his chance in Formula One.
Formula One Journey
Red Bull Test Driver (2009–2011)
Daniel first drove a Formula One car in December 2009 for Red Bull Racing. He was the fastest driver during the young drivers test. This led to him becoming a test and reserve driver for both Red Bull and their sister team, Scuderia Toro Rosso, in 2011.
HRT (2011)
In June 2011, Daniel got his first chance to race in Formula One with Hispania Racing. He made his Grand Prix debut at the 2011 British Grand Prix. He raced in most of the remaining races that season.
Toro Rosso (2012–2013)
2012 Season
In 2012, Daniel became a full-time driver for Scuderia Toro Rosso, alongside Jean-Éric Vergne. At the 2012 Australian Grand Prix, he finished ninth, scoring his first Formula One points. He finished 18th in the championship with 10 points.
2013 Season
Toro Rosso kept Daniel and Jean-Éric Vergne for the 2013 season. He scored his best finish yet in China, coming in seventh. He often out-qualified his teammate, showing his speed. His strong performances led to him being promoted to the main Red Bull team for 2014. He finished 13th in the championship with 20 points.
Red Bull (2014–2018)
Daniel joined Infiniti Red Bull Racing in 2014, partnering with four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel.
2014: First Wins
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In the first race of 2014 in Australia, Daniel finished second but was later disqualified due to a fuel rule. He quickly bounced back, getting his first podium in Spain with a third-place finish.
At the 2014 Canadian Grand Prix, Daniel took his first career win. This was a big moment, as it broke Mercedes' winning streak that season. He became the fourth Australian to win a Formula One Grand Prix. He also won in Hungary and Belgium, showing his strong form. Daniel finished third in the World Drivers' Championship that year with 238 points.
2015: Challenging Year
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The 2015 season was tougher for Red Bull, as their engine was not as powerful as their rivals'. Daniel still managed two podiums, including a third place in Hungary and a second place in Singapore. He finished eighth in the championship with 92 points.
2016: More Podiums
In 2016, Red Bull's car was much better. Daniel earned his first pole position in Monaco, but a slow pit stop cost him the win. He won the 2016 Malaysian Grand Prix, his first victory of the season. On the podium, he started his famous "shoey" celebration, drinking champagne from his racing boot. He finished third in the Drivers' Championship with 256 points.
2017: Consistent Performer
Daniel had a strong 2017 season, despite some early retirements. He achieved five podiums in a row, including a win at the 2017 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. He finished fifth in the championship with 200 points, with one win and nine podiums.
2018: Final Red Bull Season
Daniel started 2018 with a win in China, showing his great overtaking skills. He also won the 2018 Monaco Grand Prix from pole position, despite having a power issue during the race. This was his second pole position in Formula One.
However, the rest of the season was challenging due to many mechanical problems with his car. He had eight retirements, which was the most of any driver that year. In August, Daniel announced he would leave Red Bull at the end of 2018. He finished sixth in the championship with 170 points.
Renault (2019–2020)
2019 Season
Daniel joined Renault for the 2019 and 2020 seasons. His first year with Renault had a tough start with some retirements. He scored his first points for the team in China. His best result was a fourth-place finish at the 2019 Italian Grand Prix. He finished ninth in the championship with 54 points.
2020 Season
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In 2020, Daniel had a new teammate, Esteban Ocon. He had a much better season, going on an eleven-race point-scoring streak. He achieved his first podium for Renault at the 2020 Eifel Grand Prix, finishing third. This was Renault's first podium since 2011. He got another third-place finish at the 2020 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Daniel finished fifth in the championship with 119 points.
McLaren (2021–2022)
2021 Season
Daniel joined McLaren for the 2021 season, partnering with Lando Norris. His first race with McLaren in Bahrain was tough due to car damage. He struggled to match his teammate's pace early in the season.
However, at the 2021 Italian Grand Prix, Daniel had a fantastic weekend. He started on the front row and took the lead at the start. He held off Max Verstappen and led his teammate Lando Norris to a one-two finish for McLaren. This was McLaren's first win since 2012 and Daniel's only victory with the team. He finished eighth in the championship with 115 points.
2022 Season
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The 2022 season was very difficult for Daniel. He missed a pre-season test due to COVID-19. He struggled with the car's performance throughout the year. His best result was a sixth-place finish at his home race in Australia.
In August 2022, McLaren and Daniel agreed to end his contract early. He finished 11th in the Drivers' Championship with 37 points.
Red Bull Reserve Driver (2023)
After leaving McLaren, Daniel rejoined Red Bull Racing as their "third driver" for the 2023 season. In this role, he helped with public relations, simulator work, and supported the team during race weekends.
AlphaTauri / RB (2023–2024)
2023 Season
In July 2023, Daniel made a surprise return to racing. He replaced Nyck de Vries at Scuderia AlphaTauri, becoming teammates with Yuki Tsunoda. In his first race back in Hungary, he finished 13th.
During practice for the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix, Daniel broke a bone in his hand, which forced him to miss several races. Liam Lawson replaced him during this time. Daniel returned for the 2023 United States Grand Prix. His best result was a seventh-place finish at the 2023 Mexico City Grand Prix, scoring his first points of the season and AlphaTauri's best finish. He finished 17th in the championship with 6 points.
2024 Season
AlphaTauri was renamed RB for the 2024 season, and Daniel continued to race alongside Yuki Tsunoda. He had a challenging start to the season. At the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix, he finished fourth in the sprint race, earning points. However, he retired from the main race after a collision.
Despite some struggles, Daniel surprised many by qualifying fifth at the 2024 Canadian Grand Prix. He finished eighth in the race, earning his first Grand Prix points of the season. He also scored points in Austria and Belgium.
At the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, Daniel finished 18th and set the fastest lap. A few days later, RB announced that Daniel would be replaced by Liam Lawson for the rest of the season. Daniel finished the 2024 season 17th in the standings with 12 points.
Driver Style and Personality
Driving Style
Daniel Ricciardo is known for his exciting and aggressive driving style. He often makes late braking moves to overtake other cars. He likes to carry a lot of speed through corners, making them more of a 'U' shape.
Public Image
Daniel is one of the most popular drivers in Formula One. He is known for his friendly personality and big smile. Many people call him "the honey badger". He explained that the honey badger is a fearless animal that looks cute but can be fierce when needed. This reflects his calm personality outside the car and his aggressive style on the track.
His popularity grew even more with the Netflix show Drive to Survive, where he became a fan favorite. In 2022, he was recognized for his contributions to motorsport and the community by being appointed a Member of the Order of Australia.
Personal Life
Daniel pronounces his last name "Ricardo" because that's how it was said when he grew up in Australia. He chose the number 3 as his racing number in Formula One to honor NASCAR Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt, who also used that number.
Daniel supports the Australian rules football team West Coast Eagles. He is also a fan of UFC and the American football team Buffalo Bills.
Daniel is in a relationship with Heidi Berger, who is the daughter of former Formula One driver Gerhard Berger. In 2019, he started his own kart racing series, the Daniel Ricciardo Series (DRS). This series helps young drivers aged 7–16 get into karting.
Awards and Honours
Formula One
- Lorenzo Bandini Trophy: 2014
Other Awards
- Laureus World Sports Award for Breakthrough Performance of the Year: 2015
- GQ Australia Sportsman of the Year: 2014
- Confartigianato Motori Driver of the Year: 2014, 2018
- BRDC Bruce McLaren Trophy: 2013, 2014, 2016
- BRDC Innes Ireland Trophy: 2014, 2015
Orders and Special Awards
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Special Awards
- Confartigianato Motori Legend of F1 Award: 2024
Images for kids
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Ricciardo as Scuderia Toro Rosso's third driver at the 2011 Malaysian Grand Prix
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Ricciardo racing for HRT at the 2011 Italian Grand Prix
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Ricciardo driving for Toro Rosso at the 2012 Malaysian Grand Prix
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Ricciardo at the 2013 Malaysian Grand Prix
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Ricciardo at the 2014 Spanish Grand Prix
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Ricciardo at the 2015 Belgian Grand Prix
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Ricciardo after winning the 2016 Malaysian Grand Prix
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Ricciardo at the 2017 Malaysian Grand Prix
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Ricciardo at the 2018 Austrian Grand Prix
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Ricciardo suffered six reliability-related retirements in 2018.
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Ricciardo at the 2019 Hungarian Grand Prix
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Ricciardo at the 2020 Tuscan Grand Prix
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Ricciardo at the 2021 Austrian Grand Prix
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Ricciardo at the 2022 French Grand Prix
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Ricciardo at the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix
See also
In Spanish: Daniel Ricciardo para niños
