Axed F1 star Daniel Ricciardo spotted in the pitlane at iconic race

Daniel Ricciardo

Daniel Ricciardo spotted in the pitlane at iconic race

Ricciardo returned to the racetrack

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Friday 22 May 2026 21:57

Former F1 star Daniel Ricciardo has made a rare appearance in the pitlane after footage emerged of the racing driver on social media.

It's a big weekend of racing in North America in the coming two days, with the F1 circus arriving in Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix, while stock car racing hosts the iconic Coca Cola 600.

That's not all, however, and on Sunday we will see the Indy 500 take place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway - where former F1 racers such as Mick Schumacher and Romain Grosjean will be in action alongside IndyCar stars Alex Palou and Pato O'Ward.

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Ahead of the 'Greatest Spectacle of Racing', another familiar face from the world of Formula 1 arrived at the Indianapolis track.

Ricciardo at Indy 500

Ricciardo was filmed in the pitlane on the Friday leading up to the Indy 500, watching the No. 23 Dreyer Reinbol pit crew of Conor Daly's car practice pit stops after confirming earlier this year he would be in attendance.

Appearing on Daly's Speed Street podcast, Ricciardo said: "What you've told me about Indy 500, I've probably never been more excited since I was a kid to go to a race and just be a fan at a race.

“To experience it in the way you speak about it, you've done the European thing, you've travelled the world racing.

“This sounds like... I think it's going to really hit me hard. I'm excited to be a fan.”

"We started a conversation like 'guys, is there a world we can get Conor more involved?

“And then pretty much at the same time, I was speaking to my Dad about Indy 500 and it's something he's always wanted to do and always wanted to go to. I was like, 'well, let's do it in 2026, let's go to the race'."

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F1 Daniel Ricciardo Indy 500