F1 News
Ricciardo found passion for F1 again: 'Didn't want to become a slob'
- Cas van de Kleut
Daniel Ricciardo is currently sidelined due to an injury. The Australian driver broke his metacarpal during FP2 at Zandvoort after a crash just after the AlphaTauri driver returned to Formula 1 after being absent for six months due to a failed spell at McLaren. Ricciardo tells his story about his McLaren departure to Goodwood.com.
With Lando Norris as his teammate, everyone knew it was not going to be easy for Ricciardo at the Woking-based team, but it was like becoming a different driver. The Australian was painfully put on a lap by his teammate in Monaco in his first year at McLaren. A win at Monza was the highlight for the Australian, but the experienced driver still had to make way for compatriot Oscar Piastri in 2023.
Ricciardo on period after McLaren exit
Ricciardo reveals how he dealt with the disappointment of being sacked from McLaren: "At the time, it was a bit of a harsh reality getting fired. But by the end of the season, when I got home for Christmas, I was like, 'Okay, it probably doesn't help my reputation', but at that point, I didn't care anymore. It was a blessing in disguise."
After his resignation, the 'Honey Badger' regularly drank beer with friends, but there came a point when he stepped away from this: "Then it got to the end of January, I've probably done two months of just holidays, and I was starting to be like, 'Okay, I don't really want to fall into this, having a beer every day, having fun'. I didn't feel I was at that point, that I didn't want to become a bit of a slob." Ricciardo went to the Super Bowl, and there, he regained a sense of training.