Think of the F1 racers who love to travel at the speed of lightning bolts. Now, add a contagious smile and a kind heart. Congratulations, now you have Daniel Ricciardo! The VCARB racer has once again proved to us why even the top racers on Earth are human beings at the end of the day, and their hearts bleed for good causes too. So, when the Australian came across a beautiful post by a cancer survivor who is a fan of DR3 t-shirts, he decided to light up her world. And that is how the Honey Badger has once again managed to capture hearts all over social media with a seemingly tiny gesture.

Ashley Yelhsa is a die-hard Ricciardo fan whose X bio reads: “Professor at the Daniel Ricciardo School of Media Literacy“. The Canadian is famous in F1 town for sharing her cancer journey while also linking it with Formula 1. A patient of Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Ontario, Ashley has a favorite t-shirt that she loves wearing to her chemotherapy sessions. And she spoke about it in her latest X post. But little did she know that the post would reach Ricciardo and he would send a token of his love for Ashley right away!

Taking to her X handle, Ashley revealed a hopeful message yesterday that read: “This month, I finished my last treatment after 13 months of chemotherapy and immunotherapy. I almost always wear my Ric3 Speedways t-shirt to the hospital. It has always helped to me express some positive energy in the tough times like Daniel, plus the shirt actually goes hard.” While it is unclear what is the exact diagnosis Ashley suffers from, she always managed to put on a brave face, Wearing her favorite t-shirt and turning up for the treatment that has thankfully sent her cancer into remission.

Seeing the happy news that Ashley is on the road to recovery, Daniel Ricciardo replied to her on X. The Perth native congratulated her and left a short message too, saying, “Sending you some big hugs (and an Enchante top-up).” Énchante is Ricciardo’s merchandise brand that sells t-shirts among other things. Seeing that Ashley has treasured her Ricciardo-themed tee throughout her cancer journey, the 34-year-old has decided that the best way to show her some appreciation would be by giving her a new tee! But this is not the first time Daniel has sent his fans swooning over him with his kind acts.

Daniel Ricciardo once appreciated a fan’s ‘shoes’ attempt

The year was 2018, and Daniel Ricciardo was still a part of Red Bull. At that time, one of his superfans from Brazil, Ana Luiza Kalil, shared a very special moment of her life on social media. She revealed that she was battling bone cancer, and she had reached 100 days since her bone marrow transplant. Celebrating this achievement, Kalil did a ‘shoey’ and shared the video on X. Seeing this, Ricciardo said, “Amazing! Don’t know what to say… You’re awesome.”

But that was not the end of the Honey Badger’s interaction with Ana Luiza. In 2019, Ricciardo left Red Bull to join Renault. But he never forgot about his cancer survivor fan who had impressed him with his signature podium stunt. So, he brought her to the paddocks at the Brazilian GP 2019 and took pictures with her. However, Ana Luiza Kalil passed away at 31 in 2020 after a long fight with her cancer. At that time, Ricciardo publicly grieved her demise and shared a heartfelt message too.

Daniel Ricciardo’s cheerful attitude has undoubtedly left a mark on his countless followers. But will his racing skills impress Christian Horner and the others at Red Bull too? Some fans believe the Aussie stands a chance at replacing Sergio Perez beside Max Verstappen. Do you agree with this speculation? Share your views in the comments below!