Daniel Ricciardo reveals how Fernando Alonso’s words of wisdom helped him to make a strong F1 comeback

Daniel Ricciardo's main goal is to secure the Red Bull F1 seat for the upcoming years of the sport.

Daniel Ricciardo reveals how Fernando Alonso’s words of wisdom helped him to make a strong F1 comeback

Daniel Ricciardo (Credits: Autosport) and Fernando Alonso (Credits: F1)

Daniel Ricciardo, the former eight-time Grand Prix winner, has recently talked about the role played by Fernando Alonso in his strong comeback to the pinnacle of motor racing. Ricciardo has joined the AlphaTauri team for the remainder of 2023, and he is extremely grateful to Alonso for helping him during his F1 hiatus.

The McLaren F1 team brutally sidelined Daniel Ricciardo after the 2022 F1 season because of his timid performances against the papaya outfit’s star driver, Lando Norris. Ricciardo had a long-term deal in place at McLaren, but because of his immense struggles against his teammate during his two-year spell, Zak Brown and Co. decided to cut short his contract by paying him a hefty amount.

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However, after being away from the sport for six or seven months, the Honey Badger is finally back. While talking about the helping hand of Alonso in his comeback, he told Autosport, “Even if it wasn’t the year I expected, I certainly just kind of reset myself and I feel energised again. Actually, I remember having a conversation with Fernando maybe two years ago now. I wasn’t thinking of taking a break.“

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He further added, “But we were just having a chat, I think on a flight somewhere, and he said the break for him was one of the best things he ever did. That kind of got me thinking maybe if I ever feel I need it, not to be too scared of it. Then I think, seeing the year he’s had, that also filled me with some confidence.”

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Daniel Ricciardo has set his sights on Sergio Perez’s Red Bull F1 seat

Daniel Riccirdo (Credits: F1/Twitter)
Daniel Ricciardo (Credits: F1/Twitter)

Daniel Ricciardo has been making his trade at the pinnacle of motor racing for several years and has repeatedly indicated that he wants to return to winning races in the sport. For that, he needs a top seat and feels his AlphaTauri stint will act as the launching pad that shoots him in that direction.

Moreover, his 2023 AlphaTauri stint has gotten off to the perfect start, as during last week’s Hungarian GP weekend, he was able to outqualify his teammate Yuki Tsunoda and was also able to finish ahead of him during the race. The 34-year-old could not have asked for a better start for his F1 comeback.

The ongoing campaign will reach its halfway point at the upcoming Belgian Grand Prix, and from then on, there are still several races left in the 2023 season. Considering everything, would Daniel Ricciardo be able to join the mighty Red Bull F1 team as its racing driver for the upcoming seasons?

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