Ricciardo was affected by Bianchi's death "more than he ever thought"

Daniel Ricciardo has admitted the horrific death of Jules Bianchi in 2015 affected him more than "he ever thought" it would.

Bianchi was the first person to die from a crash in Formula One since Ayrton Senna in 1994 after a crash at the Japanese Grand Prix.

Ricciardo was one of Bianchi's rivals on-track but off-the-track, they were close friends - often hanging out in their junior years.

Speaking in his final podcast as a Red Bull Racing driver, Ricciardo opened up on coping with the death of one of his close mates.

"A lot happened in 2015, more on a personal level, with life," Ricciardo revealed. "Jules' passing affected me more than I ever would have thought. I had a few other things going on in my life at that time that in a way shaped me into this next version of who I am."

The 2015 Hungarian Grand Prix was the first race since the tragic death and Ricciardo recalled: "The first race back was Budapest and that was my first podium that year, a double podium for the team, and I remember the whole weekend was very emotional. To get a podium there felt massive, it was a huge relief and a moment of gratitude."

Ricciardo has become over the years one of the most popular figures on the Formula One grid, with his funny sense of humour and his beaming smile always being evident.

He'll start a new chapter of his career in 2019, with the Aussie making the move to Renault after a long relationship with Red Bull.