Despite 7.7 Million Followers, Honey Badger Daniel Ricciardo Once Gave Voice to His “Lonely” Struggles

It feels as if Daniel Ricciardo has ventured on a solo road trip. With Ricciardo struggling for form for the last two years, he has not been the jovial Daniel fans are used to seeing. This may also be a deja vu from how the former Renault driver was feeling during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020.

When the pandemic struck in early 2020, F1 got shut down along with the world. Meanwhile, Daniel decided to stay in Australia with his family during the tense lockdown situation. Although the Honey Badger got “lonely” at his family farm in Western Australia.

Talking to Amanda Davies of CNN World Sport, Ricciardo expressed how he was feeling being away from the glamor of F1. He said, “It gets pretty lonely out on the farm. I’ll be honest I miss the spotlight, the limelight and the chaos of F1, and the competition. I want that again, very soon.”

The Aussie driver may have said he was lonely Down Under. Though his Instagram activity certainly showed the different fun activities he was enjoying in the outback. But, perhaps having 7.7 million followers may not help a person’s lack of social interaction—especially for an F1 driver who usually has a herd of people around him.

Read More: Worn Out Daniel Ricciardo Begs for a Breather From Red Bull Family After a Miserable 2022

2022 was arguably Daniel’s worst season in F1. Given he is out of a drive for next season, the Aussie may feel the same that he felt back during the lockdown. Ricciardo looks to make amends for being out of love with F1 and revive his career at Red Bull.

Can Daniel Ricciardo climb out of the “Lonely” realm?

Daniel Ricciardo has got a hectic agenda with Red Bull next season. Despite being a reserve driver, he will be busy with several different activities at RBR. This is a major year for him to rekindle his passion for F1 and racing in general.

Though Daniel has denied racing in any other categories, it may be a great avenue for him to explore. Usually, drivers, who end up on the sidelines due to a sabbatical from F1, revive their racing spirit in Endurance racing, NASCAR, IndyCar, or other such categories.

Driving in a competitive environment besides his sim work and reserve driver duties for Red Bull can help the Honey Badger regain his mojo. A driver who was famous for his audacious overtaking ability and intense competitive spirit needs to be proactive to break his slump.

There are possibilities that the Aussie driver may not get an opportunity to return to F1. So, he needs to rebuild himself to create an opportunity and not fall back into the “lonely” realm.

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Ricciardo will be on the F1 grid with Red Bull in a reserve capacity for some races in 2023. It may be psychologically difficult for Daniel to come to the track and not race. What do you think of Ricciardo’s mental status right now? Will he be able to stay strong enough to return to F1?