There are few men on this planet more likeable than Australia’s very own Daniel Ricciardo.
Formula One drivers can be quite dour, but the sunny 31-year-old Perth native is an exception to that rule. Full of personality, constantly with a smile on his face and singularly responsible for introducing the ‘shoey’ to F1, the McLaren driver is just as loved for his egregious disposition as he is for his his driving chops. There’s a saying: even if you’re not a Ricciardo fan, you’re a Ricciardo fan.
If you needed any further evidence for the type of guy ‘The Honey Badger’ is, check out his latest pre-race stunt. With the F1 circus in Austin for the United States Grand Prix, Ricciardo has decided to really get into the Texas spirit, visiting the track ahead of practice a few hours ago wearing a cowboy hat, Western shirt, big belt buckle and cowboy boots.
He’s even shaved his characteristic beard into a handlebar moustache and mutton chops look for extra cowboy flavour… For an Aussie twist, the hat is actually an Akubra. All in all, it’s a rootin’-tootin’ outfit and shows once again why everyone bloody loves Daniel Ricciardo.
Ricciardo’s well-known for being a bit of a Yankophile. Not only does he own a AU$18.6 million mansion in Beverly Hills and is a keen lover of American sports like basketball and gridiron, but he races with the number 3 in honour of NASCAR champ Dale Earnhardt Sr.
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This is not the first time he’s worn cowboy getup, either. He wore a similar outfit – a hybrid of his racing overalls and a Western suit – back when he was at Red Bull, donning the getup alongside teammate Max Verstappen. He’s also rocked up to the Austin race in a Texas Longhorns college football team uniform, too.
Ricciardo is one of the more stylish drivers on the F1 grid. While not quite as sartorially inclined as current world champion Lewis Hamilton, Ricciardo definitely has a passion for fashion – notably wearing a pair of $2,000 AMIRI jeans ahead of the Italian Grand Prix earlier this year, where he took home the gold, his first race win since the 2018 Monaco Grand Prix.
He’s also got good taste in watches… Especially the ones he wears when he’s not ‘on the tools’.
Check out our picks for the best ‘off-duty’ watches of the current F1 grid below.
The 2021 United States Grand Prix kicks off today at the Circuit of the Americas with qualifying, with the race itself at 2pm Sunday, Austin time. We’re nearing the pointy end of the 2021 Formula One World Championship, with the title fight between Hamilton and Verstappen exceedingly close.
Fingers crossed Ricciardo can pick up a few more points, too. Yeehaw!