Hilarious F1 video emerges of Daniel Ricciardo insulting rivals in Italian

Daniel Ricciardo

Hilarious video emerges of Daniel Ricciardo insulting F1 rivals in Italian

F1 misses the joker in their pack

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Wednesday 17 December 2025 21:56

F1 has been missing a comedic influence since the departure of Daniel Ricciardo, so much so one account made a compilation of him insulting his rivals...in Italian!

Ricciardo may be an Aussie hero but both of his parents Grace and Joe, are Italian-Australian with his father born in Ficarra (Messina) and his maternal grandparents originating from Casignana (Calabria).

The former F1 star also lived in Italy for a few years during his junior career, and naturally has picked up the language.

Article continues under video

In a short clip of various interviews with Ricciardo, ranging from his time at Renault, Red Bull and McLaren, the F1 fan favourite used his Italian to aim a few unserious insults at his rivals.

The first of which was a simple, but effective: "Shut up Carlos [Sainz]. I'll smash your face."

Another was from his time as Max Verstappen's team-mate at Red Bull, where he asked the Dutchman: "Do you speak Italian?

When Verstappen said no, Ricciardo cheekily played on his ignorance and grinned: "F*** you."

Speaking to the Italian media after one race while he was at McLaren, he also said: "Who Lando [Norris]? An a**hole isn't he?"

What is Daniel Ricciardo doing now?

Following his mid-season axe at the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, Ricciardo hasn't returned to the racetrack and has largely remained out of the public eye.

Ricciardo retains a solid social media presence however, promoting his clothing line Enchante with VCARB and F1 Academy star Rafaela Ferreira.

The Aussie has also become a Ford global ambassador, working closely with the American manufacturer on the Raptor brand and taking part in several show events.

As for his racing career, Ricciardo confirmed his retirement from motor racing in September and said during the Ford ambassador announcement: "So why now and why me?

"When I decided it was time to retire, I thought long and hard about finding the most authentic way to stay connected to the world of motorsports.

"For me, racing was always about having fun. It made me happy and created memories that will last a lifetime."

F1 Daniel Ricciardo