Daniel Ricciardo thinks F1 drivers who drove with “intimidating” V12 engines are like superheroes

Daniel Ricciardo, while not yet winning a title, is undeniably one of the most talented F1 drivers on the grid right now. And of course, like any other driver, the Australian fell in love with the breathtaking sport at a young age.

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But there were certain aspects of Formula 1 that apparently attracted the McLaren driver. One of them are his heroes like Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher. But that’s not it; Ricciardo’s interest in Formula 1 took off when he came across the screaming noise projected by the V12 engines.

Nothing was better than V12: Daniel Ricciardo

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F1 cars may have gone silent since the beginning of the hybrid era. But before that you could scream the cars from over a mile away; that was the noise the V12s and V8s made.

Nor can it be denied that many viewers took a passionate interest in the sport solely because of its sounds. And Ricciardo was one of them. During an interview with the BBC, the Honey Badger said the V12’s screams were pretty “intimidating”.

“It’s like the pinnacle of motorsport. It’s basically like the fastest circuit cars in the world with the most technology. I remember how Ayrton Senna grew up, ”he said.

BELGIUM GP 1992, Spa; Ayrton SENNA, WINNER Michael SCHUMACHER / GER – BENETTON FORD – (Photo by Bongarts / Getty Images)

“And these names – Schumacher. They were like heroes to me. So, yeah, I was just intrigued. I also think the noise, the sound of the cars … Just nothing was like usual.

“And back then there were V12s and they screamed and they were intimidating. And it just felt like these guys were like superheroes. “

For me, an F1 driver was synonymous with an astronaut: Ricciardo

Ricciardo said that F1 was slowly but surely moving towards his career goal after considering it a passion for a while in his teenage years.

So, I think, yes, as a kid you know you have these. ‘I want to be an astronaut’ or whatever. And for me, being a Formula 1 driver was the equivalent, ”added Ricciardo.

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Formula 1 F1 – Azerbaijan Grand Prix – Baku City Circuit, Baku, Azerbaijan – June 5, 2021 McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo in action during the REUTERS / Anton Vaganov qualifying

Overall, such unique characteristics of the F1 managed to capture Ricciardo’s attention at a very young age. That is how it all started for the Australian.

And after over two decades, he’s still going strong, with championship hopes lingering amid the upcoming revision of the F1 regulations for 2022. So will Ricciardo soon be able to realize his dream of winning the Formula 1 title?

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View history: When F1 drivers with Hamilton, Vettel & Ricciardo had a lot of fun on top equipment