“I don’t see myself starting from scratch,” Daniel Ricciardo demands a front-row team for his F1 return
Daniel Riccicardo wants to make his comeback in the sport but does not intend to do so at the back of the grid.
Follow Us
Daniel Ricciardo as Red Bull's third drive (Credits: Formula1news.co.uk)
After a difficult 2022 season, Daniel Ricciardo has been taking some time off from Formula One. However, it seems that the Australian is getting the itch to get back on the grid but wants to race in a front-row team and win races. The Australian now works as a third driver for his old team, Red Bull, and attended his first race as a third driver at his home grand prix in the Red Bull outfit.
“The signs are pointing towards getting back on the grid. I feel like that’s where I’m tracking in my head, and a few of the habits that I’m having or doing is pointing towards that,” said Daniel Ricciardo to the media during the Australian Grand Prix weekend.
“I want to be back with a top team and obviously a team where I have my confidence back and my mojo,” the eight-time F1 race winner said “I feel better at the front of the grid. I feel like I perform in those situations with a bit more pressure and a bit more emphasis on a podium.”
Ricciardo further explained, “A lot of the reason for taking this year off was that I didn’t want to just jump back into a car, any car just to be one of the F1 drivers. And I still don’t see myself starting from scratch and rebuilding a career and going at it for another decade,”
Daniel Ricciardo is rejuvenated with his time off from F1
Ricciardo struggled with McLaren in 2022, finishing 85 points behind teammate Lando Norris and being out-qualified 20 times out of 22 races. As a result, McLaren terminated his contract a year before it was set to expire. He had a few great moments, including his Monza victory, but he had a difficult season overall. Thus, his reputation fell, and he opted to move back to Red Bull as he did not wish to drive a car at the back of the grid.
Ricciardo also acknowledged that he would not just join any team and settle for a top-10 finish. “So to go back and try to put myself in just any seat or something that’s fighting at best for a top-10 finish, I don’t think that’s going to bring the best out of me,” he said.
Despite his time off, Ricciardo has been keeping busy and has found that being his own boss and writing his own schedule has helped him focus on his training. “So I don’t know, being my own boss, writing my own schedule has actually brought out a lot of the things in me, when I thought I might just sit on the couch and watch movies all day and eat junk food, I’m just not. That’s not me,” he said.
Although he is unwilling to jump into any car just to be back on the grid, Ricciardo’s passion for F1 remains strong. “Even these things have made me realise how much I do care about it,” he added. It remains to be seen which team Ricciardo will end up with in the future, but it’s clear that he is eager to get back on the grid and compete for the top spot.
In case you missed it:
Stay Updated!
Rohit Bhaskar
(727 Articles Published)