Daniel Ricciardo has reflected on the journey of "self-exploration" he has embarked on during his first full year away from F1, an experience that has already included an unorthodox "bonus".
The eight-time grand prix winner, who was relieved of his duties by RB after the Singapore Grand Prix last season, is now firmly settled into retirement and appears to be enjoying his time away from the race track.
Speaking at Ray White’s Connect conference, which the Australian headlined, he explained how he has spent some of his time hiking.
The 35-year-old playfully recalled visiting Alaska recently and how he managed to navigate the trip to the state without being "mauled by a grizzly" bear.
"Well, I haven't been shaving my face," joked Riccardo, who is affectionately nicknamed the Honey Badger. "The beard is my comfort right now.
"This year has been a bit of self-exploration. I lived this crazy high-speed life for so long, and this year I've sat into a little bit of stillness.
"I've had a lot of time, I've done some hiking. I was in Alaska a few weeks ago and didn't get mauled by a grizzly, which was a bonus."
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A voyage of self-discovery
After making his F1 debut with HRT in 2011, Ricciardo spent 14 seasons racing in the championship, reaching his peak whilst at Red Bull.
He claimed seven of his eight victories with the Milton Keynes-based team before moving on to Renault and later McLaren.
After being dropped by the Woking squad for compatriot Oscar Piastri at the end of 2022, he competed in two part-seasons with Red Bull's second team, now Racing Bulls.
Despite his waning powers and limited success in later years, Ricciardo saw his star soar with the advent of the Netflix docu-series Drive to Survive.
Already a popular figure in F1, it turned him into a household name. However, since being replaced by Liam Lawson, he has seldom been in the public eye and also been afforded to chance to set sail on a voyage of self-discovery.
"I’ve been trying to figure out who I am other than this race car driver," he explained. "I’ve come to appreciate the little things more and the meaning of the importance of family and friends.
"I’ve always been driven, and that sometimes leads you to being selfish, so I'm trying to learn to be a bit more selfless and become a better listener."
Looking back on what first drew him to motorsport, Ricciardo said he always wanted to do something that "scared" him.
"Childhood was great," Ricciardo said. "I was always driven to do something that scared me a bit.
"The reason I got into racing was because no one was really doing it. It was my chance to do something a little bit cooler than everyone else.
"I was just showing off, but showing off has got me to a really good place in life."
Also interesting:
Join RacingNews365's Ian Parkes, Sam Coop and Nick Golding, as they reflect on the first 14 rounds in this F1 summer break special! Red Bull's early driver change is looked back on, whilst calls from Bernie Ecclestone for Lewis Hamilton to retire are discussed.
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