Daniel Ricciardo makes first racetrack return since F1 axe

Ex-F1 star Daniel Ricciardo has returned to the racetrack for the first time since he was axed from the pinnacle of motorsport last year.

The fan-favourite racer was dropped by Red Bull's junior team, Racing Bulls, after the 2024 Singapore GP and has remained relatively quiet about life away from the F1 circus ever since.

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Ricciardo frequently updates his fans on his business ventures, posting promotions on his social media accounts for his projects, including DR3 Wines and his Enchante clothing brand.

In his latest appearance on socials however, the 35-year-old returned to the track to support grassroots karting, heading to Buckmore Park Kart Circuit in Kent for the Daniel Ricciardo Series (DRS).

Speaking at the event, Ricciardo said: "I’m just enjoying some life in the slow lane, it sounds weird saying retirement when I’m 35 years old. But retirement from the world I was living in. So it’s cool.

"It’s my first time at a racetrack since I guess Singapore, so it’s been quite a few months now. It’s cool, to see the kids, this is why I started. I’ve had photos with groups of kids and I can see the friendships they have. These friendships can last a lifetime, my best friend to this day is someone I raced karts with. It’s nice to be back at the grassroots and the most pure form of racing."

What is the Daniel Ricciardo Series?

The Daniel Ricciardo Series (DRS) is a series backed by the F1 driver himself, where Ricciardo DRS Karts compete against each other.

Launched in 2019, DRS offers competitive racing for wannabe karting stars aged 11 and older, many of whom would have been inspired by Ricciardo and his impressive overtaking skills which he nurtured during his karting days.

At the series' latest event, the former F1 star made an appearance at the track in Kent to cheer on his young karters and 'enjoy life in the slow lane'.

As rumours swirl over whether Ricciardo's days in F1 are well and truly over, the Aussie star seems perfectly happy inspiring the next generation through DRS, taking the opportunity to sign t-shirts, take pictures and give invaluable advice to the karters on track.

One lucky driver was none other than Acey Kerridge, who competes in DRS and is also the son of Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge.

The celebrity chef took to Instagram to share snaps from the exciting weekend, adding that Ricciardo was a hero or Acey's, who finished P12 at the event.

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Kerry Violet - F1 News Editor

Having graduated from the University of Sheffield with a 2:1 in Journalism in 2022, Kerry continued her pursuit of finding a full-time position in motorsport through work with the F1 Arcade in London, where she got to meet true fans of the sport and make a live grand prix watch party memorable for them. It was here that she confirmed her dream of combining her background in journalism and love of motorsport, going on to volunteer with the female-led platform Empoword Journalism. Having completed stints as a screen editor and sports editor, Kerry landed her first F1-specific editorial role with GPFans and has thoroughly enjoyed continuing to work closely with the sport ever since. The access GPFans offers Kerry has allowed her to interview big names such as Naomi Schiff and David Coulthard and given her experiences she could only have dreamt of as a young F1 fan.

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