“That’s Impossible”: When Daniel Ricciardo Was Baffled Upon Learning a Random Fact About the ‘Australian Alps’

Daniel Ricciardo is a proud Aussie, arguably the most popular F1 driver to ever come out of the land down under. But does he know everything about his country? As it turns out, no.

To be fair, it was a fact that’s not that widely known. Perhaps even among Ricciardo‘s compatriots.

When we talk about the Alps, people usually associate it with Europe and countries like Switzerland and Austria come into mind. But Australia too has a mountain range named Alps, located along the states of Victoria, New South Wales, and the Australian Capital Territory.

That’s something Ricciardo was well aware of. But what he didn’t know was that, in terms of annual snowfall, the Australian Alps actually receive more snow than the Swiss Alps. His reaction? One of disbelief.

Ricciardo, dressed in his McLaren colors — suggesting that it was a segment from his time at the Woking-based outfit — was taking part in a quiz about Australia with Sky Sports. His first question was regarding the Australian Alps, and Ricciardo refused to accept the shocking revelation.

Probably the funniest part of the segment was when the Perth-born driver let out a confident smile after answering ‘Swiss Alps’. Within seconds, it changed to a look of bewilderment. “That’s… no. That’s impossible!” 

It was the truth, but there is a catch. The Australian Alps are spread across a larger area, and they receive fairly regular snowfall. The Swiss Alps, on the other hand, have more snow accumulated at a given time, because of their higher levels. That’s what makes Switzerland, and not Australia, a popular skiing destination.

It’s a fact that Ricciardo would likely love to use on some other Aussies down the line. His hilarious reaction, though, is what made him one of the most fun personalities in the paddock. Sadly, these moments are unlikely to be recreated.

Ricciardo’s exit and potential return

Ricciardo, in his peak, was one of the best drivers in the paddock. During his Red Bull stint between 2014 and 2018, he was arguably the one to beat behind the Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, eking out seven Grand Prix wins and 32 podiums in an era marked by the Silver Arrows’ dominance.

Post that, his form took a dip. Moves to Renault and McLaren didn’t work out and it shattered his confidence.

So, when Ricciardo returned to Red Bull via its sister team in 2023, he looked like a shadow of his former self. His aim was to return to Red Bull in 2025, but his performances were so underwhelming that the Faenza-based squad parted ways with him with six races remaining on the calendar.

Ricciardo has not made a return to the paddock since and is unlikely to do so.

Although not officially confirmed, the Honey Badger seems to have accepted the fact that his time in F1 is up. If that is true — and it appears to be with no new spots likely up for grabs — Ricciardo’s presence will be hugely missed.