Riccardo reveals the 'honey badger's' origins... And reason for F1 downfall too?
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A filmmaker with a soft spot for Ronnie Peterson, Gilles Villeneuve, Mika Hakkinen and above all, Tazio Nuvolari and Ayrton Senna, is also a diehard Formula One fan since the age of 4 (mid-90's). An avid researcher of the past of Grand Prix Racing since before it was even named F1, and with a thirst for knowledge of the ins and outs of the actuality of the sport, as well as for the technical aspects that define it, is a member of GPblog since 2023, where he has put his love of racing to good use.
Daniel Ricciardo has finally lifted the lid on the story behind his famous ‘honey badger’ nickname – and this revelation may help explain the reason behind his F1 downfall.
The Australian first joined the grid with backmarker HRT in 2011 before stints at Toro Rosso, Red Bull, Renault, McLaren and, most recently, Racing Bulls.
Between 2014 and 2018, Ricciardo established himself as one of the sport’s most exciting talents with daring overtakes and fearless racecraft, traits that earned him the ‘honey badger’ tag, precisely.
Speaking at Ray White’s Connect conference, Ricciardo explained how the animal became his alter ego.
“Honey badgers are cuddly and cute, super good-looking,” he laughed.
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“But when something takes what’s theirs, they fight back, and I think that was sort of like my alter ego when I got behind the wheel.”
Since his departure from Racing Bulls after the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, and after being linked to a seat at Cadillac early on, Ricciardo has announced his retirement from F1.
Ricciardo not a 'natural born killer'
Reflecting on his career, he admitted that developing a “killer instinct” never came naturally.
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“I have had a competitor in me since when I was a kid; I was always competitive in everything I did.
"But the killer instinct I needed to develop and work on extracting it out of myself. I’m naturally more easy-going,” Ricciardo said.
He credited his early trainer, Stu Smith, with teaching him how to summon that mentality when it mattered most.
“One of my first trainers at the time, Stu Smith, he really brought it out of me.
"I did have to work at it, but when I let it out it did feel nice – it’s nice to be a badass sometimes.”
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Ricciardo couldn't be a killer 24/7
Yet Ricciardo admitted it wasn’t sustainable. “I would use too much energy trying to be tough all the time because it’s not natural for me.
"I would see other drivers who had that killer instinct from morning to night and I wished I could be like them.
"I think people would see me laughing and joking, and they would see that as weakness and underestimate me.
"But I would put the helmet on and think, ‘Okay, now it’s time to be tough like the others’.”
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