Daniel Ricciardo Reveals Awkward First Interaction With Renault F1 Staff After Red Bull Departure

Daniel Ricciardo is one of the most prolific drivers in Formula One today. The Australian has 7 victories and 31 podiums to his name in his time in the sport. He is one of the highest-paid drivers on the grid. This was clear when Ricciardo moved from Red Bull to Renault at the end of the 2018 season.

Ricciardo’s move to the French outfit was the most high-profile transfer in recent memory. The Aussie stated that when he moved to Renault, there were some staff who were intimidated by him.

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The Aussie recalls the incident when Renault staff felt intimidated by him

As reported by f1i.com, Ricciardo mentioned that on his first day at Renault, people were afraid to talk to him. Although the Honey Badger made them comfortable, he could sense their shyness in front of him.

“Of course, it’s not the case with everyone, but I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t noticed that on occasions. I think one actually was when I went from Red Bull to Renault. It was the most high-profile move of that season and I think quite a few people at Renault probably read too many articles and headlines, and it was a bigger deal for them with me coming,” said Ricciardo. “So I felt like [on my] first day at work, people were just shy to even say ‘hi’ to me. If I went to introduce myself, that would take them back, like, ‘why is he talking to me? I’m not that important. You could just tell some of them were really in their shell.” 

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“I think the best way to break that is to be authentic”: Daniel Ricciardo

Ricciardo mentioned some ways in which you can ease the tension around you and make people more comfortable. The current McLaren driver stated that being authentic and yourself in front of other people is very essential to becoming more welcoming.

“I felt bad because I was like ‘I’m not trying to overpower you, I’m just trying to be nice and start something’. You do feel it sometimes,” he added. “I think the best way to break that is to be authentic, to be yourself, and just to let them know you’re just like them. You’re a human and we all have feelings. We also all just have a passion and a love for the same thing, so that’s pretty cool.”

Ricciardo left the French outfit with two podiums and 22 top-10 positions to his credit and helped the team to become more competitive. The Australian is currently racing for McLaren.