How Girlfriend Heidi Berger and Other Drivers Reacted to Daniel Ricciardo’s F1 Farewell

After days of speculations and rumors about Daniel Ricciardo being dropped by RB, the team officially announced earlier this week that Liam Lawson would replace the Aussie driver for the remaining six races of the season. This has led to an outpour of emotion from every corner of F1, especially from the drivers who once competed fiercely with him.

Mere minutes after RB confirmed his exit, Ricciardo took to Instagram and posted a message thanking all the teams and individuals he has worked with and his fans for the immense love they have given him over the years. The Honey Badger wrote;

“I’ve loved this sport my whole life. It’s wild and wonderful and been a journey. To the teams and individuals that have played their part, thank you. To the fans who love the sport sometimes more than me… It’ll always have its highs and lows but it’s been fun and truth be told I wouldn’t change it. Until the next adventure.”

His girlfriend, Heidi Berger also shared the post via an Instagram story with her followers, while several drivers took to the comments section to share heartfelt goodbye messages.

Fernando Alonso wished him luck for the next chapter of his life, “New adventures to come champ ”. Seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton simply summed up his feelings by labeling Ricciardo as a “Legend”.

His former teammates also left him messages with McLaren’s Lando Norris writing, “Love You brother” and Max Verstappen asking him to always keep his head held high, “Head up mate! Many more beautiful moments to come”.

More from F1 saying their goodbyes to Ricciardo

It wasn’t just Ricciardo’s fellow drivers who shared emotional messages at the (reported) end of his F1 career. Figures from the paddock, such as commentator David Croft, photojournalist Kym Illman, and his former team boss Christian Horner, also left heartfelt messages for the Aussie driver.

Croft expressed his sadness at how Ricciardo didn’t get a proper farewell on the track, despite the immense joy he brought to the sport over the years. He also highlighted Ricciardo’s lasting impact both on and off the track, pointing out how much fun it was to commentate during his races.

Meanwhile, Kym Illman shared how he stayed at the paddock in Singapore until the early hours of Monday morning to say goodbye to Ricciardo. Despite knowing he wouldn’t race for RB again, the Aussie left with a smile, showcasing his trademark positivity even in difficult times.

Horner also reflected on Ricciardo’s legacy, noting that his impact extended far beyond the mere stats of his race wins and podium finishes. Horner recalled the driver’s infectious personality and positive influence on the team, making it clear that Ricciardo would always hold a special place in the Red Bull family.