"We were a bit like a rabbit in the headlights": Daniel Ricciardo's confidant picks the Australian as the easiest driver she's had to work with

F1 presenter Natalie Pinkham shared an endearing memory with former F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo and picked him as the easiest driver she's worked with in the sport. The Aussie driver left F1 at the end of the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix after he was let go by the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls in favor of Liam Lawson.

The eight-time F1 race winner joined the Faenza-based outfit in August 2023, replacing Nyck de Vries, in order to get back to the front of the grid. The 35-year-old had a stop-start 15 months with the team but was unable to make the jump to Red Bull as he had anticipated.

Ricciardo, who was known in the paddock for his easy-going and quirky personality, left an impression on the sport and the people working within the paddock.

While appearing on the Red Flags Podcast, Natalie Pinkham, who works for Sky Sports, picked Daniel Ricciardo as the easiest person to interview and reflected on an endearing memory, saying:

"The easiest time without a doubt would have been Daniel because he started at the same time as me but you know we were both new and so that was great. We kind of helped each other out to the extent we were both a little bit like a rabbit in the headlights." (28:30)

The F1 presenter also had a personal connection with the former McLaren driver and were close outside the track as well

When the F1 presenter spoke about her connection with Daniel Ricciardo

Sky Sports F1 presenter Natalie Pinkham previously claimed that Daniel Ricciardo was friends with her husband and was the godfather to her son, Wilf.

Speaking with Daily Star in 2024, the Brit spoke about her dynamic with the Aussie and said:

“He’s better mates with my husband. When he would come and support me, he’d go and sit in Daniel’s garage and watch him. They’re very tight. It’s good because it’s a nice link-in to my world for my husband.”

She also praised Daniel Ricciardo for his positive attitude while recalling a tell of a low moment in his career, adding:

“He’d had a bad race at Spa. He really needed a good race but didn’t have one. I said, ‘Look, I’m really sorry about today’. He said, ‘Why are you apologising? My bad day is still anybody else’s dream day.

"I get to race an F1 car for a living, that’s not a proper job’. That’s an amazing way of looking at it. I love that kind of positive attitude. It’s a privilege to work in this sport, there are no bad days.”

Daniel Ricciardo is arguably one of the most popular drivers in F1 history, having endeared himself to fans with his beaming smile and relatable nature on and off the track.