What’s subsequent for Daniel Ricciardo?

The final time Daniel Ricciardo was absent from the F1 grid following his run with McLaren, his hopeful followers had been shortly rewarded together with his return when he changed Nick DeVries at RB. However following Ricciardo’s unceremonious exit from the grid in the midst of the 2024 season, hopes for his eventual return could have to wane, because it seems he could have hung up his racing boots for good. 

Over 13 years, the Australian driver racked up a sequence of iconic victories, specifically his Monaco win in 2018 and Monza in 2021 — whereas changing into one of many largest names in international motorsport alongside the way in which. His megawatt smile and laid again perspective received’t be forgotten by followers or the paddock anytime quickly, however his breakup with the sequence leaves the 35-year-old dealing with a potential profession change. Setting boots and helmets apart, and contemplating his different tasks and pursuits within the works, what might be on the horizon for the previous F1 driver?

Hollywood

Ricciardo is already making strides to interrupt into tinseltown together with his Hulu-backed comedy, titled Downforce. The sequence, which is at the moment in testing, facilities on an heiress to a racing dynasty after she is thrust again into the household enterprise and compelled to make troublesome decisions about her group’s success. The half-hour scripted present has been pitched as Entourage set within the F1 paddock, with Alec Berg and Adam Countee — the duo behind HBO’s Silicon Valley — writing the sequence. 

Ricciardo is government producing the present, but when he desires to attempt his hand at one other venture, maybe one which takes him in entrance of the digicam, he received’t be brief on alternatives. The Perth native is repped by powerhouse expertise company CAA, which boasts an enviable shopper roster spanning Oscar winners, Tremendous Bowl Champions and nearly everybody in between. He most not too long ago flexed his appearing chops when he teamed up together with his pal, Payments quarterback Josh Allen (a fellow CAA shopper), on an elaborate Beats promo comprised of a brief movie and distinctive merch line. He is additionally continued to lean into that friendship, and his love for the Payments, after leaving the F1 grid. 

I wouldn’t be shocked if Ricciardo additional leaned into his love for American sports activities in his subsequent profession transfer. Whereas he’s actually cemented himself as an Aussie sporting hero over time [see: the shoey], he’s simply as equally aligned himself with the US whereas racing in Texas over the previous decade. Some would possibly argue he’s even turn out to be a defacto American for the hundreds of thousands of latest followers from the States who found the distinctly European sport in the course of the pandemic and wanted a driver to root for.

Style

As soon as he was a longtime racing determine within the paddock, like many F1 drivers, Ricciardo launched a private merch line. Nonetheless, he proved simply how severe he was concerning the threads when he rebranded from RIC3 to Enchante and started releasing considerate, limited-edition drops beloved by followers. The uber-successful model is backed by Harry Kinds’ pal, Xander Ritz’s firm, The Loyalist, and has been accessible to buy on-line in addition to a number of pop-ups, most not too long ago in New York Metropolis. In fact time will inform, nevertheless it appears Ricciardo has constructed a robust sufficient fan base that gross sales aren’t contingent on his presence in F1.

As for his foray into excessive vogue, we noticed him attend the 2023 Met Gala in a tailor-made Thom Browne go well with. Although he was gracious about having the chance to stroll the steps of the Met, Ricciardo was fast to confess that high fashion wasn’t precisely his type. If I had been a betting girl, I’d say he’ll be leaving that sector to Lewis Hamilton for essentially the most half. 

Music

Ricciardo has lengthy professed his deep love for music whereas admitting in the identical breath that he has little or no musical expertise (relatable). Should you’ve listened to any of his long-form interviews and podcasts by way of the years, the motive force typically mentions music as a ardour he’d wish to discover in a post-F1 world, nevertheless his imaginative and prescient for what that’s appears to be like to be a bit obscure.

I don’t have a crystal ball, in fact, however I predict he may take a nontraditional path inside the music business. Maybe he’ll personal a venue or get into the reside occasions area reasonably than create music of his personal, however I’d additionally guess that it is a barely longer-term plan and we’ll see him attempt his hand at a couple of different issues first.

Wine

Should you aren’t actively in search of it out, you won’t even understand that Ricciardo has a partnership with the wine model, St Hugo, and his personal wine, DR3. Promotion has leaned fairly closely on the Australian market the place the product is bought in one of many nation’s largest liquor shops, nevertheless it can be bought on-line.

Not like George Clooney’s tequila model, Casamigos, which was capable of stand by itself with out the A-lister, the DR3 portfolio of wines depends closely on Ricciardo himself selling the product, so he’ll should proceed to lean in ought to he need to pursue the wine enterprise. I’d rank this class fairly low by way of the probability that we’ll see Ricciardo rebrand as a sommelier anytime quickly.

IndyCar, NASCAR, or one other racing sequence

It’s bittersweet to confess, however I believe there’s a very good likelihood Ricciardo has hung up his total racing equipment for good, which suggests it is unlikely he’ll be chasing the dream in some other sequence.

Ricciardo has instructed reporters (together with me, on the events I’ve interviewed him) that he has a number of passions exterior of racing, and certain wouldn’t head to a different sequence post-F1 purely to proceed driving. Should you check out his social media channels, he has been spending time on two wheels with Aussie motocross stars Hunter and Jett Lawrence, so it’s potential he doesn’t really feel the necessity to compete to get that repair. In fact, there’s all the time the possibility he’ll make a one-off look on the likes of Le Mans, however in the event you’re holding out for a NASCAR announcement, you could possibly be ready some time… or endlessly.

Commentary

As evidenced by Tom Brady within the NFL, the very best athletes don’t all the time make the very best commentators. But, somebody like Jolyon Palmer, who had a wholly unremarkable F1 profession, has gone on to turn out to be one of many sport’s finest pundits. I might like to see Ricciardo in entrance of the digicam in some capability as a result of he’s such a unbelievable character, however historical past tells us that this doesn’t seem like his strongest go well with (see: his unsuccessful foray into commentary with ESPN on the 2023 Canadian Grand Prix).

Given Ricciardo’s strengths lie in his effervescent appeal and his skill to place individuals comfortable, I may see him inking a cope with a community that may permit him to dip into a number of totally different sports activities in some capability, making him a broader media character reasonably than a pure F1 pundit.