The life of Daniel Ricciardo after Formula 1 has acquired a more meditative, intimate aspect, following a side of the Australian driver that spectators scarcely became acquainted with in the course of his period in the F1. Appearing at the Ray White Connect conference on the Gold Coast, the 36-year-old was forthcoming about how it has been to take a step back into the low-stress F1 realm and settle into a new pace.

Ricciardo retired following the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix at which Racing Bulls was replaced by Liam Lawson. Ever since, he says life has been weird with the adaption and even teases that the unshaven beard is like a comfort blanket through this period. However, underneath is a real change, one that accompanies the neverending adrenaline of racing with a slower, more deliberate life style.

He has been spending more time outside the house hiking at such places as Alaska where he jokingly says that he was not mauled by a grizzly bear. That kind of lightheartedness is talking up to a larger idea: he is learning to value life smaller gratifications. Such a feeling of being present and being thankful has been amplified even further as he shifts his attention towards relationships and individual development.

Ricciardo acknowledges that as a racer he was essentially selfish. Well, I have never been lazy and at times one can be selfish,” he retorted. He now has time and the cognitive bandwidth, and is trying to be more altruistic-to listen to others, to turn up to things, and to derive gratification other than through competition. It is a remarkable development given that he is a renowned person due to his charisma and quick wit and aggressive push.

In retrospect, Ricciardo remembers a love of karting began because he wanted to do something that intimidated him a bit–and, as he quipped, wear down people. Such early bravado took him to the pinnacle of motorsport where he has 8 victories in Grand Prixes, with 32 podium finishes. However, today he is revisiting that innocent delights of driving in races without the corporate pressure or the pressure of being watched all the time.

When he has time off his adventures, Ricciardo has invested his resources in both his wine company, DR3 Wines and his clothing business, Enchant Further speculation over another stint in Formula 1, has to a large degree been dismissed, and Ricciardo was explicit in saying that he is not actively seeking a drive, although staff outside have attempted to recruit him.

To Ricciardo, the new era is characterized by equilibrium. According to him, he has no regrets of leaving the F1, and now his priorities have shifted to matters of the heart, good relationships and just plain living. His experience is a lesson in itself that taking a back seat out of the limelight is not failing to serve a purpose but the beginning of a more centered and more satisfying race.

Follow us on Zeroto30s social channels:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeroto30s/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zeroto30s

Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeroto30s

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Zeroto30s