Daniel Ricciardo shares his Red Bull suspicions and explains F1 retirement plan

22 October 2023 , 10:04

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Daniel Ricciardo is back on the F1 grid and determined to enjoy every second of it (Image: Getty Images)

Daniel Ricciardo is determined to make his second chance in Formula 1 stick.

Fans mourned en masse when it was made official that he would not be on the grid at the start of this season. The affable Aussie has become one of F1's biggest stars in recent years and it felt strange to see him on the sidelines as a Red Bull reserve after his McLaren risk failed.

But the break came at the right time. Usually an effervescent character, Ricciardo was at his lowest point as he struggled to get to grips with his car – dangerously close to falling out of love with the sport completely.

"I wasn't sure if I needed six months or 12 months away. I knew at the end of last year I needed some time away from it," the 34-year-old said as he sat down with at the Dutch Grand Prix – prior to the hand injury which ruled him out for five races. "Even when we got to Melbourne in April, I was feeling like the hunger was back but I wanted to let it brew a bit more.

"So I was hoping it wouldn't be a crazy early call because I felt I needed a bit more time, but by Budapest I was more ready than I thought I would be. I feel like I'm truly back in love with the sport and really hungry and motivated again. That's something that wore on me in the last few years, which is natural if you're not performing at the level you think you can. But I'm in a good place now."

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Did Red Bull inform him early on in the year that he was in line for a mid-season return if the opportunity arose? "I was never told that, but I know Red Bull pretty well!" he replied, giggling as he added: "I know they like to test everyone, the current drivers and those waiting, with not much notice."

And so he hit the ground running back at AlphaTauri, a decade on from when he last raced for the team. Ricciardo did not score points in his two outings before the summer break, but the spring that was missing from his step during his darkest days at McLaren is back.

Ricciardo is one of F1's most popular figures (Getty Images)

Immediately, he became one of the most popular figures among fans at circuits upon his return. Having become a household name through Netflix's Drive to Survive series, even he cannot fathom quite how he gained such a huge fanbase.

"I knew within the four walls of F1 that my personality would probably help me to be a 'fan favourite', but I never thought it would extend into pop culture or the wider world," he said. "That's definitely a big thing that I gained from Netflix.

"It's pretty crazy but I do like it – I do like some attention but I like more the fact that our sport is really now well respected. I used to hate that when I was younger people would be like, 'Oh, you race cars, you just sit and drive, that's not a sport'.

"But now other athletes, including ones that I admire, are looking at us and going, 'S***, what you guys do is pretty amazing'. I think just the fact our sport has this love and recognition is the part that makes me the most happy. If it means meeting some of my idols because of it then that's a bonus! But the big part is being taken seriously."

Ricciardo spent five races on the sidelines after breaking his hand at Zandvoort (Getty Images)

His AlphaTauri stay is by no means guaranteed to be a long one. Ricciardo lost out on several opportunities to impress after that hand break at Zandvoort which required surgery and sidelined him while F1 hopeful Liam Lawson filled in, but he returns to action safe in the knowledge that he has a place on the 2024 grid.

Ricciardo's challenge in the longer-term is to prove that his experience is invaluable to a team which usually favours younger, up-and-coming drivers like Lawson, but which is also in the midst of a major overhaul behind the scenes.

The Aussie, not satisfied to simply remain on the grid for only next season, can see himself being around for many years to come if this second phase of his F1 career goes according to plan. "I'm definitely here to stay and I want to stay in the Red Bull family," he declared.

"Being back here, it just feels very right for me. The chemistry in the team is really good and I like that. The big picture would be to get back to that team and that car one day, but I also said that if there is not an opening then I want to stay here.

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"The team is going through a rebuild for next year and if I can contribute and get this team more towards the front and to be taken more seriously, that's it. If it's not the big team, it's here.

"Having had this time off, I definitely feel I have a few more years in me. It's not like it's just, 'One more year and I'm done'. I would say I've comfortably got three more good years and if it's a good car and I'm doing well then that three could easily become six.

"I don't plan on being in and out – I want to give this second stint of my career the best effort I can because I know once this one is done, that's probably it for me. Right now, I'm all in and it feels good."

Daniel Moxon