Daniel Ricciardo flies the flag for Australia in Formula One. While it would be fair to say he hasn’t had the most successful career in Formula One, his winning smile and nice-guy and carefree persona have made him one of the most popular drivers on the grid (although, his laid-back attitude could also be a seen as a sign of weakness) which, coupled with his fierce attitude on track, have earned him the nickname “The Honey badger.”
Ricciardo is just as popular away from the track, too, often seen appearing on various talk shows, rocking some incredible watches in the process – such as the Patek Philippe he wore during his appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show – and he also commits a fair amount of his time to train.
In this Daniel Ricciardo story…
So, who is Daniel Ricciardo, what’s his McLaren salary and who, if anyone, is he dating? Read on to find out.
Daniel Ricciardo Quick Facts
| Name: | Daniel Joseph Ricciardo |
| Age: | 33 |
| DoB: | 1 July 1989 |
| Nationality: | Italian-Australian |
| Height: | 6ft / 1.8m |
| Weight: | 66kg |
| Girlfriend: | Heidi Berger |
| Net Worth: | $50 million |
| Instagram: | @danielricciardo – 7m followers |
Who Is Daniel Ricciardo?
Daniel Ricciardo is an Italian-Australian racing driver who was born in Perth, Western Australia on 1 July 1989. His parents are Giuseppe “Joe” Ricciardo – who was born in Ficarra, Sicily – and his mother, Grace, who was born in Australia, although also has Italian heritage. Daniel also has a sister, Michelle.
Daniel Ricciardo grew up in the Perth suburb of Duncraig and from a young age, he showed an interest in motorsport, thanks in no small part to the fact his father also competed.
Racing Career
Daniel Ricciardo began competing in go-karts from the age of 9 and he entered various championships in his mid-teens. However, at the time, the go-karts he was racing were pretty old, so Ricciardo wasn’t able to compete at a particularly high level, so he finished the seasons a fair way down the running order.
Nevertheless, Daniel Ricciardo moved up to the Formula Three championship during the 2008 season, with his first race coming at the notorious Nüburgring. Daniel showed a lot of promise and talent now he was in a competitive car. Just one year later, Ricciardo found himself behind the wheel of a Formula One car, when he was called up for testing with Red Bull Racing.
Formula One
Following positions as both a Red Bull Racing test driver and a loan spell with HRT (which saw him make his F1 debut at the 2011 British Grand Prix at Silverstone), Daniel was signed to Toro Rosso (Red Bull Racing’s sister team) for the 2012 and 2013 seasons.
Red Bull
Following his impressive performance for Toro Rosso, Daniel Ricciardo was promoted to Red Bull for the 2014 season, taking over driving duties from fellow Australia racing driver, Mark Webber. Riccardo’s first season with the team was a stellar one, as he managed to finish third in the World Driver’s Championship.
During the 2016 season with Red Bull, Daniel Ricciardo introduced the shoey to the world of Formula One, following his second-place finish at the German Grand Prix. Ricciardo has since performed a shoey at various other races where he finished on the podium and encouraged other drivers to perform them too.
Renault
Daniel Ricciardo moved to Renault before the start of the 2019 season, where he remained for two seasons. It’s fair to say his performance across the two seasons wasn’t what was expected of him, finishing 9th and 5th in the final standings, respectively. But, it could be argued his car wasn’t the most competitive on the grid.
McLaren
Daniel felt his fortunes had turned around for the 2021 season when he was signed to race for McLaren to race alongside Britain’s Lando Norris. Unfortunately, once again, Daniel’s performances haven’t been what you could call outstanding. This has led some to speculate his time at McLaren is coming to an end and others, such as Damon Hill, to speculate his lack of performance is due to him not spending time playing video games.
Daniel Ricciardo is not racing in Formula 1 in 2023.
Daniel Ricciardo Career Stats
Wins
During his Formula 1 career, Daniel has only recorded 8 wins. This isn’t a reflection of his lack of talent of course, but rather, he may have just not had a competitive car and obviously, has been up against some stiff competition in the form of Lewis Hamilton and Sebastien Vettel.
Daniel’s first Formula 1 win didn’t come until 2014 when he was racing for Red Bull. During 2014, he managed a total of 3 wins, and has been his most successful season to date taking wins into account. However, he also managed to finish third in the Driver’s Championship not only in 2014 but in 2016 too.
Ricciardo’s other wins in Formula 1 have come in 2016 (1); 2017 (1); 2018 (2) and 2021 (1).
Who Is Daniel Ricciardo’s Girlfriend?
Daniel Ricciardo is a man who manages to keep his personal life pretty private, which includes his love life. However, it is widely agreed that Daniel is currently dating actress Heidi Berger.
Ricciardo was in a relationship with high-school sweetheart Jemma Boskovic, whom he met in year 12 at school. It was reported the couple even moved in together in Monaco, but they split in 2016.
Since then, Daniel Ricciardo has been linked with a number of women, but no official relationships have ever been confirmed. Rumoured partners have included Red Bull colleague Annemarie Horbass, American actress Heidi Berger and Australian model Jessica Gomes.
Daniel Ricciardo Merch
Unlike some other drivers on the Formula One grid, Daniel Ricciardo has his own website and range of merchandise. His Ric3 clothing label offers a range of hoodies, t-shirts, shorts and caps and other accessories. It’s perhaps no surprise that Daniel has entered the fashion world, as he evidently attempts to remain on-trend with his clothing choices when he’s not racing (although, the less said about his 2021 US Grand Prix cowboy outfit, the better).
Daniel Ricciardo Training
One thing you can’t deny is how committed Daniel is to training and keeping his physical and mental health in tip-top shape, despite being one of the older drivers on the grid. He occasionally posts workouts to his social media accounts, such as this circuit workout and this reaction training exercise.
Daniel Ricciardo Salary
Daniel Ricciardo’s salary whilst at McLaren is an estimated $15 million per year, according to Racing News 365. His earnings at McLaren combined with his salary earnings from previous Formula One teams have given Daniel Ricciardo an estimated net worth of $50 million.
Daniel Ricciardo Tattoos
Daniel Ricciardo not only has a love for racing, but he also has an apparent love for tattoos. So much so, that he even convinced his former boss at Renault, Cyril Abiteboul, to accept a bet that would see the Team Principal agree to get a tattoo if Daniel scored a podium finish. Well, Daniel did, and Cyril delivered on his promise.
However, Daniel has previously, many years ago, said he didn’t like the idea of getting tattoos because he didn’t like needles. That all changed, it seems, and in 2013, Daniel got his first tattoo, just before his call-up to the Red Bull F1 team.
Daniel Ricciardo’s first tattoo depicts a ship sailing around the world, with a lighthouse, which he says “represents home.”
Daniel now has at least 20 tattoos on his arms, legs, feet and hands.
One of Daniel’s favourite tattoos is on his thigh, which has the words ‘Mama’ and ‘Papa’ surrounded by some hearts. He is quoted as saying the meaning behind the tattoo is, “Growing up, you are very close to your parents, then you get to the age where you want to move away from home and start being with your friends but then it comes back.”
“You get to another age and you start to want to spend more time with them. I am at the point where I don’t see my parents that much but every time I see them, I love spending time with them and I wanted to get something for them. They don’t like all of my tattoos but this one they have to like!”
Daniel & Scotty James
On Mother’s Day in 2023, Daniel thanked his “Nonnas” (grandmothers) for their endless support. Their relocation from Italy to Australia had a toll on the star; he had a very close relationship with them. He also thanked them for raising his mother, who is his strongest support system. Daniel and his Aussie colleague, Scotty James, are more than colleagues; they’re friends turned brothers. Daniel is seen in most of Scotty’s pictures. Okx Crypto chose Daniel and Scotty as representatives, further strengthening their ties. In May 2023, he attended Scotty’s wedding with his partner and also visited his family in the same month.
Away from his Career
He modeled for the Enchante clothing brand, which produces bucket hats and shirts. Also, he is currently the face of Dr3wines, home of exquisite wines. He announced the opening of the Affection Collection under Enchante in February 2024. His designer, Thom Browne, ensures that he looks completely exceptional at each event he attends.
Free Time
In his free time, he helped children build an oven, explored the water bodies of LA on a Sea-Doo, and visited the city of Monaco. He posed with Martin Garrix during his summer slam dump. He also graced Scotty’s wedding with his significant other in 2023. Due to his eloquence, he signed an ambassadorial deal with Heineken. He hung out with Lando Norris, one of his all-time favorites. The star had a classic interview with Vogue magazine, highlighting the highs and lows of his career.
Back to his Career
After a little break, he returned to racing, had 3 matches before undergoing his surgery. In August 2023, he went through wrist surgery to correct an existing wrist issue that was a huge inconvenience to him. As of March 2024, he is currently on the cover of GQ Australia for April/March.