Daniel Ricciardo is the undisputed darling of the F1 crowd. While Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen fans are busy bashing each other, the Australian is around to offer some fun and laughter for the general F1 fan base. However, in an in-depth interview with F1's "Beyond The Grid" podcast, Ricciardo admitted that he still dreams of becoming World Champion and that he would love to reclaim that Red Bull seat that he gave up all those years ago.
Where is Ricciardo now?
It has been confirmed that Ricciardo will race for Red Bull-owned AlphaTauri in 2024 on a one-year deal. It is also an open secret that this stint will be used to determine if he deserves the opportunity to replace Sergio Pérez in the second Red Bull Racing seat alongside three-time champion Max Verstappen.
It may be remembered that Ricciardo has won eight races in his career, seven with Red Bull and his last with McLaren in 2021. The height of his career came during his stint with Red Bull from 2014-2018, a period dominated by Mercedes.
He made the shock move to Renault in 2019, where he only managed to finish on the podium twice. He then made another somewhat surprising switch to McLaren, where he was largely outperformed by youngster Lando Norris. Despite the fact that he managed to score an odd victory at the Italian GP in 2021, it was a very underwhelming time with the team.
It seemed like his career was heading to an end when he found himself without a drive in 2023, but an unexpected turn of events led to a so-called "second wind".
Ricciardo still determined to become F1 World Champion
Daniel Ricciardo: Dreaming of a 'Perfect' Red Bull Return | F1 Beyond The Grid Podcast https://t.co/Ve3tKLpEB4 pic.twitter.com/Xx36FLBb5C
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"I'm treating it like a second wind, a second chance, to go all-in for this last part of my career. There are things that I'm going to do differently to make sure that all my energy is focused on going all-in," said Ricciardo about being given the chance to drive for AlphaTauri next season.
Left without a drive for the season, he was initially invited by Red Bull team principal Christian Horner to become the team's third driver in 2023. He was largely seen as the person that could take much of the PR burden away from the team's main drivers, so that they could focus on winning races instead of wearing themselves thin doing PR activities and other extra-curricular engagements.
Furthermore, he was responsible for a lot of simulator work during testing and it was one of those tyre tests that gave him the opportunity to show off what he can still so. "I'm not going to sugar-coat it. The first timed lap I did was on the money. You take the fuel out to put it to quality fuel, and it was a few hundredths off Max's pole time.
"When I crossed the line and saw that lap time and had that relief again — like, 'Man, I've still got this'," he said.
Indeed, Horner saw that same glint that had been missing from Ricciardo's eye for the past several years. He then told the Australian that he still believes in him and that he could do great things in a car that he enjoys driving.
After an impressive showing during testing, AlphaTauri team tapped him to replace Nyck DeVries midway through 2023, but he was only able to race twice before suffering a wrist injury that sidelined him for five races. He returned for the tail end of the season, which was luckily enough to secure the contract for next year.
Ricciardo is ecstatic to receive the support from the Red Bull family, and it has reignited his desire to become World Champion before hanging up his helmet. "Do I still want to be world champion? Yes. Has it been a dream of mine since I was a kid? Yes," he said.
Reawakening after an almost career-ending stint with McLaren
Despite admitting his desire to win his first Drivers' World Championship title, Ricciardo also said that there is much less pressure now than during his earlier years in the sport. He also said that losing his race seat at the end of 2022 allowed him to look at how his life can be beyond racing.
"Sport is a very rare career where you can start pursuing it so young that it's been your only purpose in life and it's consumed you and normally your family as well. When it's gone, I know that's where a lot of athletes can struggle with their identity. Where are they going to get that adrenaline from? Where are they going to get that drive? I'm aware that it's not easy for everyone also to transition to life after sport," he said.
The short hiatus allowed him to see that there is nothing to be afraid of and that he will be fine and can still enjoy life once his racing career ends.
"Racing is my passion, but it's not everything and it's not the be-all and end-all," he concluded.
Despite feeling less pressure, Ricciardo confirms that he is still hungry, determined and motivated.
"Honestly, to end my career as a Red Bull driver would be perfect," he said.
