Daniel Ricciardo: Driver Profile

Daniel Ricciardo is one of Australia’s most successful Formula 1 drivers, notching eight wins throughout his career so far.

The height of Ricciardo’s career now appears to be behind him, but he is still racing for the Alpha Tauri team in 2023 as a team-mate of Yuki Tsunoda. 

Ricciardo has signed a deal to stay with the Alpha Tauri team until the end of 2024.

Name	Daniel Ricciardo
Born	Perth, Australia
Date of birth	1st July, 1989 (aged 34)
F1 starts	237 (up to 2023 Brazilian GP)
F1 wins	8
F1 podiums	32
F1 points	1317 (up to 2023 Sao Paulo GP)

Where is Daniel Ricciardo from?

Ricciardo was born in Perth, Western Australia and grew up in Duncraig in the northern suburbs.

Ricciardo’s father Giuseppe raced at the nearby Barbagallo Raceway in Wanneroo and it was not long before Ricciardo got into karting at the age of nine.

What was Daniel Ricciardo’s racing record before F1?

Ricciardo made his Formula 3 debut in 2008 at the Nurburgring with SG Formula’s Formula 3 Euro Series Team.

He started in sixth position but struggled, finishing the race in 15th.

For the 2009 season, Ricciardo then moved to the British Formula 3 Championship, where he raced for Carlin Motorsport.

Ricciardo was signed by Tech 1 to compete in the Formula Renault 3.5 series in 2010 and made an immediate impact when leading the championship standings after the season-opening round.

The Australia went on to pick up four wins and eight pole positions that season and was equal-first in the championship with just one race remaining.

Ricciardo started in second position on the grid but with just two laps of the race remaining, he was overtaken by his rival for the championship, Mikhail Aleshin.

Ricciardo lost the championship to Aleshin by just two points.

Which F1 teams has Daniel Ricciardo raced for?

Ricciardo made his Formula One debut in 2011 with Hispania Racing before going on to impress with Toro Rosso in the 2012 and 2013 seasons.

In 2014 the Australian got his big move to the Red Bull team, where he would spend the next five seasons.

Ricciardo got off to a flyer with three wins during the 2014 season to finish third overall in the drivers championship. He repeated that achievement in 2016.

Ricciardo jumped ship to Renault in 2019 and stayed there until he joined McLaren for the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

A switch to Alpha Tauri happened in 2023 and Ricciardo is contracted with them until the end of 2024.

What have been Daniel Ricciardo’s best F1 races?

Almost all of Ricciardo’s wins have come in dramatic style and he will always be remembered as a winner of some great races.

Out of the eight, his victory at the Monaco GP in 2018, will arguably go down as the greatest of them all.

Ricciardo had issues with the gears, brakes and a loss of power but still somehow managed to fight off the threat of Ferrari to take the win.

The Italian GP in 2021 will also go down as one of Ricciardo’s best as he lead home team-mate Lando Norris in a one-two finish to earn McLaren their first F1 win since 2012.

Is Daniel Ricciardo improving as an F1 driver?

Despite having a successful career, Ricciardo is now past his peak. His last win and podium was back at the Italian GP in 2021 and it is hard to see anymore coming his way.

Ricciardo will be disappointed that he never got the chance to challenge for the title of world champion.

Who will Daniel Ricciardo race for next season?

Ricciardo is tied to the Alpha Tauri until the end of the 2024 season.