One might assume that Mercedes, especially Lewis Hamilton, fans were the happiest of all on Friday, as not only did they get to see their seven-time world champion live for the first time in months but also managed to catch a glimpse of the 2022 Mercedes-powered challenger, W13. Well, what if it wasn’t them who were the happiest? What if it was Daniel Ricciardo?

Some might ridicule this suggestion, but it’s true! The Honey Badger went absolutely berserk for a Formula One post that arrived on social media. The official social media handles of F1 acknowledged that the United States Grand Prix would remain part of the racing calendar, at least until the 2026 season.

“BREAKING: The United States Grand Prix at @cota_official remains on the calendar through to 2026!” the caption read. Soon, McLaren took the comments section by a storm and tagged Ricciardo, demanding his reaction to the news.

Well, barely minutes after McLaren’s reply, Ricciardo showcased his excitement through a sea of emojis in the comments section. His reply did not comprise just one or two emojis, but tens and tens of them.

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US Grand Prix stays on the calendar amidst Daniel Ricciardo excitement

Bobby Epstein, the founding partner at the Circuit of The Americas, opened up about how Formula One has grown to become one of the greatest sporting events in the whole of the United States. Hence, he admitted that the contract extension is huge news for the entire country, which is finally beginning to build an inseparable bond with the sport.

“The Formula 1 United States Grand Prix has become one of the biggest and greatest events in the world. We are extremely proud it has found a home in Texas – at Circuit of The Americas – and are grateful to the millions of fans who visited us over our first decade.

“We knew Austin, along with our neighbours in San Antonio and beyond, would be welcoming hosts – and they proved it! Thanks to everyone in the Formula 1 community for supporting our endeavours and rewarding our hard work. We are glad to have renewed our commitments and look forward to many more years of World Championship racing, entertainment, and fun,” he said.

Overall, Austin has managed to produce enough racing actions over the years and there is no denying that more such moments are due in the coming years, too. So, as die-hard F1 fans, are you as excited as Ricciardo over the sport’s contract extension with the COTA?

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