Karting Taught Daniel Ricciardo a Crucial Lesson – And It’s As Simple as Three Words

Modern F1 drivers find their footing in their karting days. It sets the cornerstone for driving styles, temperament, teamwork, and the stresses of the big league. This holds especially true for Daniel Ricciardo. Although the driver has a peppy personality on the grid today, things weren’t always the same for Ricciardo.

The self-acclaimed Honey Badger defines his personality as being sweet, yet a predator behind the wheel. This was something Ricciardo developed as a child in his karting days. In a recent Formula 1 video, Ricciardo shared how karting molded him into who he is today. And it was fairly simple.

Formula One F1 – Italian Grand Prix – Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza, Italy – September 11, 2021 McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo during the sprint qualifying REUTERS/Massimo Pinca

“Don’t get bullied.”

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Ricciardo sure doesn’t get bullied today; the master defender seldom lets on-track battles go the other way. Yet, Ricciardo had once shared an interesting story that could better explain his short bit of advice.

How did Daniel Ricciardo come up with this mantra?

Two years ago, the Aussie disclosed his back story and how he got into the sport. Plainly, it was at the karting track. However, he was a timid kid growing up. He narrated a time when he was thirteen and went to the tracks to practice with his father. With two rivals against him, a quiet Ricciardo found it difficult to fight on the track.

“I think at the time, it was a little bit of a trend for me- I wasn’t actually that aggressive on the track, I wasn’t an overtaker at that age, believe it or not.” As a result, he was put under the guidance of a driving coach – a decision that would deeply affect the driver.

In his Player’s Tribune feature, he thus tells the tale of the rise of the Honey Badger.

“At my first race after that practice session, I was on the grid with my coach when we saw one of my rivals about 30 feet away getting ready to hop in his kart. My coach says, “Daniel, walk over there and wish him luck.””

Although hesitant, Ricciardo did it. “I walked over, looked the kid in the eye, shook his hand, and wished him luck. His handshake was soft, and he looked like he had seen a ghost.” The Aussie went on to beat his rival, and by a great margin.

“So, if people ask you why that lad driving the Red Bull has a honey badger on his helmet, tell them it’s because I’ve been cultivating my inner-badger for a long, long time… from that weekend on, I followed the badger.”

Thus, Ricciardo isn’t one to be pushed around; the victory at Monza was a blaring reminder of the same. Surely, 2022 will carry the same energy for driver number 3.

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