Daniel Ricciardo talks about McLaren, Red Bull, Renault and life beyond Formula 1

Daniel Ricciardo speaks with Esquire Middle East about life away from the track, his move from Red Bull to Renault, to McLaren and more before his return to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Read the full conversation below.

Nice to see you Daniel. We haven’t seen you since we had you on the cover of Esquire Middle East last year.

Ah right, in Dubai! I really liked the shoot. I liked what you did with my hair.

When you won the Italian Grand Prix in September 2021, the reaction around the world was unlike anything I have ever seen. People really feel connected to you. Do you find that on your travels around the globe?

I try to be humble and humble but yes it is true. I really felt that when I won, I got so many compliments and love from so many people in the paddock and I could feel this overwhelming level of support and happiness for me. It felt like everyone was supporting me deep inside and wanted me to be fine. If I do that, it’s wild. It is really wild.

Maybe it’s just because I haven’t won in a long time and they are just happy for me. But I feel like I have a lot of support. it’s nice. I think it tells me I’m doing something right. And I think people can relate to me or my trip or my feelings or emotions.

Is that something you’ve felt before?

I actually felt like it was visible in Monaco in 2018. People would come up to me and hug me, and they would cry as much as my mother and father. So I thought, okay, this really has an impact on people. That was the first time that I was really proud of what I was able to achieve at the time.

I’ll compliment you for a second, so be patient with me: you are a positive, good-natured person. You enjoy life and you don’t seem to take anything for granted. But in what ways do you feel like you’ve grown and changed in ways that people haven’t seen?

I try to be a little more selfless consciously. I think this may sound surprising in some ways, but with this sport I think that anyone who is really chasing a dream or – sorry if that’s a cliché – chasing greatness, you put yourself first and close Stuff out, you shut up family and you will be engulfed in your own things.

In a way you have to be, but I think a balance also has to be found. I think I’ve been selfish about some things for a number of years. I consciously try not to be more selfish than I need to be. I’m going to use it for the competitiveness I need, but I don’t want that to spill over into my everyday life. I want to be a loving, caring person. I want to make sure that I keep showing that about the people who are close to me in my life. I consciously try to improve that.

What brought you on this special journey? Has journaling made you more introspective?

I think that definitely helps. Writing a journal allows you to really open up and be honest. But most of all the nature of Covid and the absence of people you love longer than you would like, including my family, my mother and father, my sister and her children, made me focus on it.

These are simple things, but if you haven’t seen them for a long time, you just want to see them. Now every time I’m in a different city I try to go shopping and buy them presents because I just want to give presents. Feel like something is missing and are wondering what can I do to fill that gap?

Well, I want to give, I want to show love and affection. Covid has caused a change in me, a realization that certain things mean more than you think.

Is it a very personal journey? Or does it fit in with how you grow on the track and how you approach the focus of your life?

My growth on the track was pretty natural. I’m in my thirties now so my perspective on things is changing and is likely to be improved by traveling and meeting different people and getting different perspectives on life or situations. I think I’ve just matured as a person.

Formula 1 was everything 10 years ago. Life would not exist without Formula 1. Now there are other things that are very valuable to me. I think they always have, but as you get older you understand that these things are there and they are just as important. When you are younger you think that paying attention to other things when that attention can be turned to Formula 1 and trying to become a champion is wrong. But actually you can have a healthy balance with all of these things and still be successful. You know, I don’t think you have to shut everything out in your life. Perhaps the mature 32-year-old is speaking.

Absolutely, and at 32 you had the chance to work with different teams, in different cars, in different parts of the world with different teammates. What were the lessons of these steps and what are the characteristics of your current experience with McLaren?

In all honesty, it was a little scary going through these changes. You feel a little vulnerable when you step out of your comfort zone, and the comfort zone for me was Red Bull. I knew everyone who grew up in this family. It wasn’t easy, but in a way it was easy because everyone goes to the same job every day. You are not really being challenged with something that you have not yet faced. Pushing me to join a new team at Renault and then McLaren has opened me up to a lot.

When you move people don’t know your strengths and weaknesses so you will be questioned and challenged a lot more. In a way, it’s hard to put into words. You may not even know it yet, but when you look back on the year we’ve had you can say, wow, this year I really did.

I learned to build relationships better because I was forced to. I was forced to put myself in a different environment. This taught me more about what is important to me. I’ve learned weaknesses that I have. I found out more about myself at Renault and then at McLaren.

Renault was only for me for two years, of course, and then I switched to McLaren and I think there were things that were great at both Red Bull and Renault, but with the team changes I also realized what was missing , and with McLaren I have found a real family on this team. After being away from family in so long, it’s something I really appreciate in my life. I think it’s something I have to do well.

In the first half of the year when I was struggling, McLaren put an arm around me. You supported me in all of this. It gave me confidence and believed that I would get to where I am now.

What do you look forward to most when you return to Abu Dhabi for the season finale?

I love to have the final in Abu Dhabi. I am very easy to satisfy. Some of these answers may have seemed a little complex, but I am a very simple person. If you give me sunshine, I am very happy. I definitely love the last few races in the Middle East. At Abu Dhabi, at the start of the race, I have to worry about which visor I am using because normally you have the sun in your eyes so you want some tint on your visor. Then that goes down quickly and you get the lights ready. Even little things like this make racing fun. We’ve been doing this for a couple of years now so I know what I like. But the question is still what I’ll be racing with this year. There is a nice energy in the paddock, boats play music, people celebrate more. Even if we can’t join in, it’s nice that people had fun.

Well, if you want me to take you to a party, all you have to do is ask.

I think we could, but we probably shouldn’t. We have bigger priorities this weekend, but you’re enjoying it for me! And see you there.