Phone Calls & Messages From 2 Ferrari Legends Breathed Life in Daniel Ricciardo’s Dying F1 Career

Daniel Ricciardo has taken a year off from active racing, assuming the role of a reserve driver at his old home. Away from the immense pressure and toil, the Australian has plans to recalibrate perhaps to his 8x GP winner self. While he is at it, he began by penning down a note in the memory of people who taught him at different junctures of his life.

The Honey Badger plans on staying close to fans even when he is temporarily away from the grid. Yesterday, he tickled his fans with a tease show of his new brand with an old greeting called Enchante. Today, he threw in another treat when wrote he down a heartfelt note stating that even though everyone is driving their own race; it doesn’t necessarily have to be alone. He strolled through memory lane to express his gratitude towards everyone who pushed him to be a better racer and person, in particular two Ferrari legends.

In a write-up posted on Ricciardo’s LinkedIn account, the German duo of Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher is most fondly remembered him. Talking about Vettel about how he was a huge support during Ricciardo’s struggles last season, he says, “Sebastian Vettel frequently called me throughout the year, just to check in, as any friend would. When you take away the competition, some of these guys are the most inspiring people I’ve met.”

And remembering Schumacher he writes about his favorite memory from his entire racing career, “My first season….defending against Schumacher in the last part of the race….despite being so intimidated by him at that time, I was able to keep him behind me for the last few laps, surprising myself with my race craft. Afterwards, he congratulated me. “

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Understanding that mentorship isn’t one-dimensional, Ricciardo looks back to his first mentor.

Daniel Ricciardo didn’t have to look far to find his first guide

Unsurprisingly, the smiling beast found his first teacher in his dad. Calling his cool dad an obvious choice, he gave senior Ricciardo credit for helping him chase and realize his dreams.

Speaking of his father, he writes, “He played a huge part in supporting me to chase my dreams. Giving me the freedom to do what I loved at such an early age really encouraged me to believe in myself and never give up. I can’t thank my dad enough for believing in me.”

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Daniel’s presence on the F1 grid this year will be scarce, but will he make a full-time comeback in the future?