Daniel Ricciardo explains 'shoey' origin: 'I felt like a tie was choking everyone'

Daniel Ricciardo has revealed that the celebration that came to define his F1 career began as a message to friends back home in Australia rather than a calculated stunt.

Ricciardo, who retired from Formula 1 after the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix following 257 starts, eight wins and 32 podiums across a 14-year career, has reflected on the gesture that followed him from Red Bull to Renault, and onto McLaren.

Ricciardo said the act began on the podium after the 2016 German Grand Prix, in which he was second, long before it became an expected ritual whenever he finished on the rostrum.

"I did it really for my friends watching back home, and I knew that they'd text me after being like, 'You're a legend. You did it for Australia'," said Ricciardo. "[I was a] Bit of a bogan, someone who doesn't take themselves so seriously, I guess.

"And there were some friends and a group of guys in Australia who were doing a lot of it, and they had quite a big presence on social media and stuff.

"So it was becoming like Australia, or a part of Australia, was owning it a little bit, and then there were some Australian sports people and celebrities and that who were doing it.

"So I was like, 'Okay, I want to be a part of this and show Australia that I'm proud to be Australian."

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Riccaiardo - 'Let's undo a button'

Ricciardo explained that beyond the Australian pride angle, he also wanted to loosen up a paddock he found overly formal, even in victory.

"There was definitely a conscious part of it, where the sport was still very serious," he said. "I would see drivers on the podium sometimes, and they looked miserable, and I couldn't really understand why.

"I get it if you lose the race on the last lap and you finish second instead of first.

"But there were a lot of situations where I was like, the sport feels a little stiff, and that was also my way of trying to bring in something else to the sport. I felt like the tie was choking everyone, and I was like, 'Let's undo a button here and relax a little'.

"And then it just became my thing, and it wasn't really planned to have been something that I would have done again."

It became such an iconic moment on the podium that others followed suit, not least the late renowned actor Sir Patrick Stewart after the 2017 Canadian GP.

"I hadn't even got to the point of asking him if he wanted to do it yet," said Ricciardo. "He asked me if he could do it, so he basically demanded it, and I was like, 'This is very cool', so I knew it had caught some wind by that point."

Even seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton got in on the act, after previously stating that, "The juice from the foot is not something I wish to drink."

Ricciardo said: "Lewis was also quoted saying once he'd never do it, and then he did.

"I'm just glad it was always my shoe. I gave the people what they wanted."