Ricciardo: "Will be a moment when someone has to pinch me to believe it"

Since his departure from Red Bull Racing, Daniel Ricciardo has been steadily moving out of the spotlight. At Renaut, consistently good results never really materialised and a new adventure at McLaren didn't start very well, as Lando Norris performed at the front.

In Monza, however, Ricciardo once again managed to drive to victory, something that Verstappen's former teammate always has a bet on today. The former Renault team boss Cyril Abiteboul should now have a Ricciardo-designed tattoo on his body after managing a third place at the Eifel GP. The Australian also had a bet with Mclaren team boss Zak Brown.

Indeed, Ricciardo may get a ride in the NASCAR car of Dale Earnhardt, one of Ricciardo's personal idols, he says at Formule1.nl: "Dale Earnhardt is a big hero of mine, and to get the chance to get behind the wheel of one of his cars is insane. That will definitely be a moment that someone has to pinch me to believe."

Yet the teammate of Lando Norris still holds out hope that he will be more richly rewarded, considering he not only managed a podium but also got to stand on the highest spot of that podium. "I think it was that if I got a podium, I got to drive that car [of Dale Earnhardt]. We never talked about a win. I gave him my shoe that he drank out of, so maybe he'll give me that car. It's a good swap."