Daniel Ricciardo posts topless pic from his hospital bed and updates fans about surgery on his broken hand – just after he was depicted shirtless and ‘jacked’ on erotic novel cover

Daniel Ricciardo has posted a shirtless post-surgery photo from his hospital bed after a crash during a practice session that ruled him out of the Dutch Grand Prix with a broken wrist.

The Australian pranged his AlphaTauri at the steeply banked Turn Three in practice at Zandvoort on Friday and would have been fine other than for not releasing his grip from the steering wheel on impact with the wall.

His smash appeared to come about after he was distracted by the McLaren of Oscar Piastri, his countryman who had just hit the wall at the same point of the Zandvoort track.

The 34-year-old was taken to a local hospital with his left arm in a sling. An X-ray later revealed a fractured metacarpal bone in his left hand.

On Monday morning, he took to Instagram to provide an update on his injury after undergoing surgery.

The Aussie F1 star was recently depicted shirtless on an erotic novel

‘Hey everyone. Had surgery this morning, got my first bit of metal work so that’s pretty cool,’ he wrote alongside a shirtless photo of himself.

‘Big thanks to everyone who reached out and kept my spirits up.

‘This ain’t a setback, just all part of the comeback.’

The shirtless shot of the much-loved star comes just a week after he made headlines for being depicted chiseled and topless on the cover of an erotic novel.

The 34-page novella by Anita Driver, called ‘Overtake My Heart: Thicc Ric Races for Love’, was published in July and is available on Goodreads and Amazon.

The Australian F1 driver called into the Eff One with DRS podcast to discuss the book with host Dax Shepard.

‘I have never heard of this, I think I’m flattered, I don’t know but I can’t say I’ve heard of it,’ he said.

‘I’m also assuming you’re not joking but I am very gullible,’ he added.

Red Bull boss Christian Horner believes Ricciardo could be back driving for the Singapore GP

Daniel soon realised it was very real when he was shown the cover of the book, which features an illustration of him looking very buff indeed.

‘What the f**k is this? I look jacked, though’, he said with a laugh.

The cover also indicates that this is book one of 69 in the Daniel Ricciardo Erotic Adventure Series.

One saucy passage reads: ‘Emily found herself drawn to the sight, her heart beating faster as she imagined what it would feel like to touch that thick, powerful neck.

‘No other neck could compare. They say a man is 75 per cent water, but not Daniel. He was 75 per cent neck.’

Red Bull boss Christian Horner believes Ricciardo could be back driving in time for the Singapore Grand Prix on September 17.

‘I’m sure, at the back of his mind, he’s probably got Singapore as a target. But then again, Singapore is probably one of the most tough circuits on the calendar. But nature will take its course,’ Horner said.