Daniel Ricciardo

Daniel Ricciardo was an Australian racing driver born on 1 July 1989, one of the most popular figures of his generation and a perennial podium contender during the hybrid era. Renowned for his beaming smile, late-braking overtakes and the "shoey" celebration, he combined showmanship with genuine front-running pace.

Ricciardo broke into Formula 1 with HRT in 2011 and Toro Rosso, before his career-defining promotion to Red Bull in 2014, where he won three races and out-scored four-time champion Sebastian Vettel. He took further wins with Red Bull, including a memorable victory in Monaco in 2018, before moves to Renault, where he claimed two podiums in 2020, and McLaren. His McLaren spell delivered a standout triumph at the 2021 Italian Grand Prix at Monza. He later returned with AlphaTauri and RB before stepping away from the grid, finishing with 8 wins, 32 podiums, 3 poles and 1,320 points from 257 starts.

One of the most charismatic drivers of his era, Ricciardo combined a fun-loving public persona with ruthless precision on track. His brilliant overtaking and giant-killing 2014 season established him as a fan favourite whose legacy endures well beyond his retirement from racing.

Ricciardo was celebrated as one of the finest overtakers of his era, famed for audacious late-braking moves into corners his rivals deemed impossible. Allied to that aggression was a relaxed charisma that made him one of Formula 1's most marketable personalities. His legacy is that of a giant-killer whose best days delivered against the very best in the sport.