The Legendary Advice Daniel Ricciardo Ignored from Sir Jackie Stewart Revealed

Alex Harrington | Oct 13, 2024

Jun 7, 2024; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; RB driver driver Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) in the pit lane during the practice session at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images / Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

An unforgettable piece of advice from three-time World Champion Sir Jackie Stewart, offered to Daniel Ricciardo during the beginning of his career, has resurfaced. From his early days in karting to becoming a prominent driver in one of the sport’s most prestigious teams, Ricciardo's path in Formula 1 unveils a narrative of resilience and growth.

In 2014, Daniel Ricciardo joined Red Bull , quickly gaining recognition by outperforming his teammate Sebastian Vettel. The young Australian embraced a breakout season, securing three impressive victories at the Canadian, Hungarian, and Belgian Grand Prix. It was also during this transformative year, amid the newfound success, that the Australian bumped into Sir Jackie Stewart during the Singapore Grand Prix weekend.

Stewart, a legend of motorsport, offered Ricciardo his veteran insight.

“I remember it was here in 2014 – that was my breakthrough year, and Sir Jackie Stewart called me in the lobby, and I remember he said something to me. He goes, Look, if you ever want to talk, let me know because it won’t always be as easy as it seems," Ricciardo recollected.

Despite Stewart's well-intentioned counsel, Ricciardo dismissed the importance of the message.

“Yeah, I didn’t win the championship that year, but everything just felt easy – I’m exaggerating, obviously not easy. So when he told me, I was like, I’m good, what are you talking about? I’m not struggling, and I’m not intimidated by anyone, what is this?”

However, this sense of invincibility was short-lived. The 2015 season served as a stark reminder of the volatility of the sport. Amidst Renault engine reliability issues and fierce competition, Ricciardo found the year to be a challenge, claiming only two podium finishes. The year was a sobering experience.

“Even the following year, 2015, it was a tough year, and I immediately realised what he was talking about,” Ricciardo admitted.

After his initial successes with Red Bull, Ricciardo faced myriad challenges, including a departure from McLaren after struggling to outperform teammate Lando Norris consistently. Ricciardo’s journey took him from Red Bull to Renault, then McLaren, before returning to the Red Bull sphere first as a reserve driver before AlphaTauri/RB before being let go after the Singapore Grand Prix.

“I think [the best approach is to] never get too high, try not to get too low and just try to ride the wave. Yeah, just keep your feet on the ground.”