Daniel Ricciardo explains how his iconic F1 shoey celebration first began

Daniel Ricciardo has shed light on the origins of his iconic 'Shoey' podium celebrations.

During an interview with Ford CEO Jim Farley, who compared Ricciardo's 'Shoey' to Dan Gurney's inaugural champagne spray at Le Mans in 1966, the Australian explained that he adopted the move as a nod to his home country.

"I believe when I did it, a friend of mine kind of did some history on it and I think it was initially like a German thing," Ricciardo explained.

"I can't remember the exact Shoey history, let's say. But a few of my friends in Australia were doing it. There was a group of guys called the Mad Hueys, and they would go on surf trips around the world and just drink out of their shoes. And I'd lived away from Australia for a long time, but it was my way of showing, I guess, Australia that I'm still Australian."

The 36-year-old driver also explained that it served as a way of showing his personality and of 'remaining himself' in a sport that was 'a little bit buttoned up' at the time.

"I always tried, I say in a way quite desperately, to remain myself in a sport that was - these days it's changed, but I think definitely 10 years ago it was still a little bit buttoned up, and I wanted to try and I'd say relax the shoulders of the sport a little bit.

Daniel Ricciardo, Third Driver, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

"And so I thought the Shoey was... If the sport hates it, at least my Aussie friends will give me some respect. But then I did it, and I really didn't know how it was going to go down, and I was like, it'll be a one-and-done thing.

"A few months later, I remember I was in Singapore and I got a podium. And after I did the first one, I was like, 'OK, maybe this is something I just save for when I win, you know, a really big occasion, not just a podium.'

"And I chose not to do it on the podium. And the crowd, I heard some Shoey chants and then there were some boos when I didn't do it. I was like, 'OK, they really want this.' So, I was just like, 'OK, all the podiums I get now, I just have to do it.'"