When Daniel Ricciardo entered the paddock riding a horse at the F1 US GP

Former Visa Cash App RB driver Daniel Ricciardo was once spotted riding a horse into the paddock at the 2022 US Grand Prix. The Aussie driver has always shared a special connection with Austin, Texas as he is a big fan of the culture of the state and has always done something to represent the bond.

During his Red Bull days from 2014 to 2018, Ricciardo kept cowboy-like sideburns at the US GP and once raced in a cowboy-inspired race suit. However, he took his playful behavior to a whole other level during the 2022 season when the then-McLaren driver entered the paddock on a horse.

In a video from the 2022 US GP shared on social media, Daniel Ricciardo can be seen entering the F1 paddock riding a horse named "Bluey" but with an interesting nickname given by the team, with country singer Rob Baird singing his song "Dreams and Gasoline."

Speaking with Sky Sports F1, the eight-time race winner reflected on the moment and said (via Daily Mirror),

"[We thought] it will bring a little bit of extra atmosphere into the paddock. As we know, Thursdays are kind of quiet. So it was cool. Really nice to do it. I mean, I was a little embarrassed at first but I was like, 'You know what, just have some fun.'

"[Horsey McHorse] is his nickname. We didn’t know Blue’s name at the time of getting the credentials, but I feel Horsey McHorse might be where it stays."

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COTA chairman gives his take on Daniel Ricciardo missing the US GP this weekend

COTA Chairman Bobby Epstein said he was hopeful that Daniel Ricciardo could make it to Autin for the weekend despite not racing after he was axed from the RB team after the Singapore GP.

As per Motorsportweek, Epstein said,

“Daniel, he may be able to have just as big an impact out of the car as he has in it at our grand prix. I’m not sure that necessarily people are buying tickets to come see him race if he’s not in a competitive car, right? He’s really, really loved in Texas, and I think he likes it here.

“And so I would hope that he makes himself available more to the fans than he would otherwise be if he had an obligation in the car. I hope he’s still coming here because we’ve got a lot of people who would love to shake his hand or get his autograph or take a picture. Just see him around town. We’ll keep him busy."

Daniel Ricciardo lost his F1 seat to Red Bull junior and Kiwi Liam Lawson for the remainder of the 2024 season with a return to the sport for the Aussie looking unlikely in the near future.