Daniel Ricciardo began karting at the age of nine and drew attention as a Red Bull Junior Team prospect after winning the Formula Renault 2.0 West European Cup in 2008. In 2011, he made his Formula One debut midway through the season with HRT.

From 2012, Ricciardo became a regular driver with Toro Rosso. In 2014, he was promoted to the senior Red Bull team as the successor to Mark Webber. That season, he delivered performances that outshone then four-time world champion teammate Sebastian Vettel. Ricciardo secured his first F1 victory at the Canadian Grand Prix, followed by wins at the Hungarian and Belgian Grands Prix, ending the season with three victories and firmly establishing himself among the top drivers.

By the end of 2018, Ricciardo had accumulated seven career wins and played a central role as Red Bull’s lead driver. He moved to Renault in 2019 and then to McLaren in 2021. At the Italian Grand Prix that year, he led from the start to take a long-awaited victory. On the podium, he celebrated with his trademark “Shoey” champagne celebration, highlighting his enduring presence in the sport.

Ricciardo departed McLaren at the end of 2022, but made a surprise return to the grid in 2023 with AlphaTauri from the Hungarian Grand Prix onward. Despite missing races due to injury, he delivered a strong performance at the Mexico City Grand Prix, qualifying fourth and finishing seventh while extracting the maximum from the car. Midway through the 2024 season, he stepped away from a full-time F1 seat. In 2026, Ricciardo serves as a Ford Racing ambassador.