Daniel Ricciardo admits developing 'badass' F1 alter-ego

Daniel Ricciardo has revealed that his 'Honey Badger' nickname was more important to his F1 career than previously thought.

The well-liked racer was speaking at the Ray White’s Connect conference recently, going into his life after stepping away from F1 last year.

Alongside the origins of his beard, Ricciardo also delved into his F1 career and explained how he acquired his iconic ‘Honey Badger’ nickname.

“Honey badgers are cuddly and cute, super good-looking,” he said. “But when something takes what’s theirs, they fight back, and I think that was sort of like my alter ego when I got behind the wheel.”

“I have had a competitor in me since when I was a kid; I was always competitive in everything I did. But the killer instinct I needed to develop and work on extracting it out of myself. I’m naturally more easy-going.

“One of my first trainers at the time, Stu Smith, he really brought it out of me. I did have to work at it, but when I let it out it did feel kinda nice – it’s nice to be a badass sometimes.”

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What has Ricciardo been doing since F1 axe?

Ricciardo has not returned to racing since leaving F1 in 2024, and has instead focused on exploring who he is outside of motorsport.

The 36-year-old recently shared a picture of him hiking in Alaska with a grizzly bear in the background - although fans appeared more shocked by his full beard.

Ricciardo also mentioned spending more time with family and friends, and was pictured at Wimbledon alongside his parents Grace and Joe Ricciardo for his birthday this year.

As for a return to F1, this option has been completely ruled out, with Ricciardo very definitively stating he is ‘done’ with the sport.

While a return to racing via an alternate series such as IndyCar or NASCAR is not out of the question, Ricciardo has announced no immediate plans to re-invigorate his racing career.

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