Ricciardo suggests that a return to racing could be possible "one day."

      Daniel Ricciardo has expressed that he might return to racing in the future, but only if it’s "for the pure joy of driving." During an appearance on the Speed Street podcast with Conor Daly, the retired Australian driver mentioned that he is currently appreciating life away from Formula 1, having spent years in what he referred to as the sport’s demanding "bubble."

      When asked about how often people inquire if he will race again, the 36-year-old Ricciardo acknowledged that the speculation has not entirely ceased. "Yeah, I’ve been asked a bit less recently because I think I've probably shared enough at this point," he said. "I want to approach this maturely, and I don’t want to make any absolute statements, because never say never."

      He added, "Right now, I truly enjoy not competing and I’m taking pleasure in the little things in life, without the need to be in the spotlight." Ricciardo reflected on whether he would feel differently about racing in three or five years, admitting, "I don’t know."

      He emphasized that any potential comeback would feel completely different from the pressure-filled final years of his F1 career. "It would definitely be more about having fun than pursuing a championship," he clarified. "It’s really about the pure joy of driving, rather than feeling the need to win a trophy. I don’t require this for my own fulfillment."

      He noted that sometimes the pursuit of goals can detract from the enjoyment of racing. "It’s about finding balance; you want to have goals, which provides motivation in the morning to get up, exercise, and push yourself. But that pursuit can also diminish some of the joy."

      Ricciardo also shared his plans to attend this year’s Indianapolis 500 out of curiosity to see how the iconic American race compares to Formula 1. After stepping away from F1's demanding travel and media requirements, he mentioned that his perspective on the sport has changed. "I was entrenched in the F1 environment for so long and became accustomed to the intense schedule, the paddock, everything," Ricciardo explained. "That was my norm. But now that I’m outside of it, I realize, 'Wow, that was far from normal.' The schedule was extremely precise."

      He expressed his fascination with the Indy 500 partly because he wants to see if the environment there is more relaxed compared to F1. "I’m curious about what a week looks like leading to the biggest race of the year," Ricciardo remarked to Daly. "I'm interested to see the balance of the schedule and personal time versus time spent on track, and how laid-back or focused the drivers are throughout the weekend."