F1 News

Ricciardo looks at Formula One differently after six-month break

Ricciardo starts with fresh page: 'My perspective on things has changed'

20 July 2023 at 18:01
Last update 21 July 2023 at 05:29

Daniel Ricciardo has had two chaotic weeks. The Tuesday after the British Grand Prix, he was told he could get back behind the wheel as a full-time driver. This weekend in Hungary, the Australian will make his official return to the team where it all started for him, AlphaTauri (then Torro Rosso).

For the past two years, Ricciardo has driven for McLaren. Teammate Lando Norris beat the eight-time race winner almost every weekend, which caused doubts within the team. McLaren team boss Zak Brown eventually put Oscar Piastri in the car alongside Norris, which ensured that Verstappen's former teammate was left without a permanent seat.

Fresh look

The Australian's six-month break from Formula 1 lasted six months. The replacement for Nyck de Vries himself said at the press conference ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix that he has a fresh outlook on the sport: "After stepping aside from the sport for a little bit, I think I kind of changed probably my perspective on things. So I'm just coming into this without any…’ What's it going to be like? Oh, it's going to be a struggle here. It's going to be frustrating.'  I think just getting an opportunity again inside the Red Bull family is something I'm really appreciative of."

'Look at it from day to day'

According to the Australian, we shouldn't expect too much from his comeback race either: "I'm sure we'll have some work to do, but I'm not going to solve every problem this weekend. So it's really just about me getting back into that kind of the race weekend and the flow. And last week it was a very good car I drove, but it filled me with some confidence. So try to take a little bit of that into this, but also not expect the world, just day by day."