Daniel Ricciardo has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia as part of the 2022 Australia Day Honours.
Ricciardo was recognised “For significant service to motor sport as a competitor and ambassador, and to the community.”
The honour comes after a drought-breaking first victory for McLaren in last year’s Italian Grand Prix, a win which came more than three years after his seventh in a Formula 1 race.
Recently, he became an ambassador for Save The Children, with a focus on education outside of the traditional classroom environment.
Ricciardo’s official title is now ‘AM’, a group which has grown by 155 in this year’s Australia Day Honours.
A total of seven individuals have been recognised this year for reasons motorsport/motoring.
Terence Bracken of Tasmania, Leslie Power of Western Australia, and Ian Tate of Victoria were awarded Medals of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to motorsport.
Kay De Luca and the late Anthony De Luca of New South Wales were given the same recognition for service to motoring clubs and to the community, as was Ian Digby of South Australia for service to the community and to the motor industry.
An individual is appointed a Member of the Order of Australia “for service in a particular locality or field of activity or to a particular group, while the Medal of the Order of Australia is “for service worthy of particular recognition.”