Here's How Daniel Ricciardo Became An F1 Champion And Made His Millions
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Hailing from Western Australia, Daniel Ricciardo began karting at the age of nine before entering competitions during his high school years. While driving second-hand cars and beat-up models made it difficult to win championships, his razor-sharp skills helped him earn a spot in Formula Three Racing. He played multiple circuits and qualified for each Prix with ease setting his eyes on playing Formula One. While testing his ride for Red Bull, Ricciardo made his F1 Grand Prix debut in 2011. He worked with Red Bull for more than eight years before announcing his contract with Renault. In 2021, he was signed with McLaren to begin that year’s Formula One Championship. Over the years, Daniel Ricciardo has worked hard and continues to find a way to play every game to the best of his ability.
Through his racing contracts with the top racing sponsors, Daniel Ricciardo has earned $50 million to showcase his talent to the world with Formula One. He continues to inspire aspiring racers in his home country and tackles fresh challenges with each passing year. From Red Bull to Renault, and later McLaren, let’s look at how Daniel Ricciardo became an F1 driver for McLaren and garnered a multi-million fortune.
Starting Young
Born in Perth, Australia, Daniel Joseph Ricciardo while his parents hail from a small region in Southern Italy. While living in Perth's suburbs, Ricciardo often watched his dad racing at the Barbagallo Raceway, where he first generated interest. At just nine years of age, he was already karting after joining the Tiger Kart Club. Driving a beat-up Van Diemen, Ricciardo finished eighth in the Formula Ford Championship. He continued competing in the Formula Ford races until coming into the Formula Three radar. According to Formula One, the racer’s laidback personality and fiery competitive streak helped him finish on podiums.
In 2008, he competed at the Nürburgring for his Formula Three debut with the Euro Series team and stood in eighth place in his first race and sixth in his second round. A year later, Ricciardo was signed onto Carlin Motorsport to compete in the British Formula 3 Championship. In 2010, he switched to Tech 1 and competed in Monte Carlo. He raced under Tech 1’s contract for only one season before ISR Racing took over in 2011. While Ricciardo continued playing F3, his dream to compete in F1 was slowly manifesting into reality.
Working Through Transitions
Red Bull Racing invited a series of young drivers to test a Spanish circuit where Daniel Ricciardo clocked the fastest time, impressing everyone. Christian Horner, then the Red Bull manager, suggested Ricciardo’s name for the 2010 World Series. While there were initial plans to team up Ricciardo with another driver, he was the sole player to compete and dominated the track with his powerful one-lap technique. Ricciardo finally made his Grand Prix debut in 2011 at the 2011 British Grand Prix under the contract of Hispania Racing. He then played with Toro Rosso for two years before Red Bull signed him again in 2014.
Daniel Ricciardo partnered with champion Sebastian Vettel during the 2014 F1 Season to compete for the season. His first race at the Australian Grand Prix was a success as he finished in second place behind Lewis Hamilton. He continued competing for Red Bull until 2018, when Renault came with a better offer, as noted by Sky Sports. For the 2019 season, he partnered with Nico Hülkenberg to represent the company. Ricciardo signed a two-year contract that paid him $35 million each year. In 2021, Ricciardo decided to move on from Renault for a better opportunity.
A Career With A Lot Left To Give
The racing driver was not only making millions through the championships and the brands that sponsored him during the races. Daniel Ricciardo had also ventured into business as he became a Blue Coast Brewery co-owner, as GQ stated. The craft beer company is one of the fastest-growing establishments in France, and Ricciardo is sometimes seen visiting its outlets to meet people.
As his business grew, Ricciardo shook hands with McLaren for a $17 million-a-year contract in 2021. He became the seventh-highest-paid F1 driver on the circuit. He teamed up with Lando Norris and competed in the 2021 and 2022 Championships for McLaren. As mentioned by The Guardian, Ricciardo boldly decided to terminate his contract after the 2022 F1 season with McLaren to find new opportunities for himself. One of his most notable moments with McLaren was winning the Monza, Italy Prix.
Since terminating the contract with McLaren before its completion, Daniel Ricciardo continues to give his all on the racing circuit as he competes at the 2022 Formula One Championships. Through his hard work and dedication, he has managed to go through several team transitions to build his game better. Ricciardo has decided to step back from the racing grid for the 2023 Formula One Championship.
Sources: Formula One, Sky Sports, GQ, The Guardian
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