Daniel Ricciardo delivers cheeky response ahead of 2023 F1 season – and leaves Red Bull speechless

Daniel Ricciardo is preparing for a very different life as a reserve driver in this season’s F1 championship, but he clearly hasn’t lost his trademark sense of humour.

The 33-year-old Australian appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and gave a very cheeky answer when asked why he thinks the sport has enjoyed a recent surge in popularity, especially in the US.

“I was going to say something serious, but I think ultimately it’s probably my good looks,” Ricciardo quipped to a visibly stunned Colbert.

‘I think it’s the drive to survive series on Netflix that has exploded. I think that has put F1 on the world map.

They’re about to go into season five, which is pretty wild. There are parts of the world where it’s always been big, you know, like Europe, Formula 1 has always been around for many, many, many years and there’s always been a core fan there.

“I knew the United States… I feel like it was inevitable to explode here because you do sports so well and it was just, I would say, a matter of time, but I feel like it was accelerated through this Drive to Survive program.”

Daniel Ricciardo is preparing for life as a reserve driver in this season’s F1 championship, but he hasn’t lost his trademark sense of humour.

Ricciardo told host Stephen Colbert that the sport has enjoyed a recent surge in popularity, especially in the US thanks to the Netflix series Drive to Survive.

Ricciardo then arrived at Red Bull’s season launch in a very unusual way: in a go kart.

Joined by his great mate and Red Bull’s main driver, Max Verstappen, the Perth-born prankster came to the facility and did it all.

In the clip, also starring Red Bull director Christian Horner, drivers can be seen whizzing around the company’s headquarters.

However, the launch later became a farce in New York after a host mispronounced Ricciardo’s name.

Co-host Giselle Zarur inexplicably called Australian Daniel ‘Retard’, leaving the 33-year-old with an awkward smile.

Furious fans were in disbelief on social media.

Max Verstappen (pictured, center) Daniel Ricciardo and Sergio Pérez at Red Bull Racing’s unveiling of the team’s new Formula One car during a launch event in New York City

‘Daniel ‘Retard’??? What the hell is this presenter doing or saying?’, a user of social networks enraged.

Another said: ‘Did you just file [him as] Daniel Retardo’???

Ricciardo will not be on the grid this year after McLaren boldly promoted fellow Australian Oscar Piastri.

The 33-year-old, who left Red Bull in 2018, has returned to his former team as a reserve driver alongside New Zealander Liam Lawson.

While many believe that Ricciardo’s career now hangs in the balance, the man himself is convinced that the ‘break’ will reinvigorate his passion for the sport.

The 2023 F1 season begins at the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 5.