Daniel Ricciardo’s plan to ensure tenth F1 Australian Grand Prix isn’t his last
Daniel Ricciardo will soak up his 10th Australian Grand Prix as if it could be his final race on home soil – but has no desire to make his comeback at Albert Park his last dance.
F1
Don't miss out on the headlines from F1. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Aussie Daniel Ricciardo will soak up his 10th tilt at the Australian Grand Prix as if it could be his final F1 race on home soil - but has no desire to make his comeback race at Albert Park his last dance.
After watching from pitlane without a Formula One seat last year Ricciardo, 34, said he was excited to return to his home race as a RB driver and had his sights set on a top 10 finish.
“You can’t kind of look too far ahead and predict what is going to happen or what could happen,’’ he said.
“I’m obviously in different colours again but honestly really happy with where I’m at.
“I think just the mindset now of going racing, making every weekend count and putting everything I can into it - hopefully the fans appreciate that.’’
Ricciardo said he was determined to make amends for the 13th place he secured in the season opener in Bahrain and 16th spot in Saudi Arabia.
And making Melbourne a swan song for a career of extreme highs and bitter lows was not in his playbook.
“I definitely thought about it in 2022 at that time when, let’s say McLaren cut short the contract and I was left wondering ‘is this next bunch of races going to me my last?’ he said.
“At that time I was having a bad year competitively and I wasn’t really sure.
“I thought ‘maybe I don’t love it as much as I used to. Maybe this is it’.
“I definitely went through that but I think sitting here today I’m not of that mindset.
“I definitely know that there may not be whatever many more years in it.
“I do kind of treat it like it could be the last every year but it’s not of that mindset.’’
Despite being welcomed back into the Red Bull family where he enjoyed the lion’s share on his eight Grand Prix wins, Ricciardo admitted he had his work cut out.
“The older you get, the more you realise there are 20 of us and there is always going to be someone knocking on the door,’’ he said.
“So just try to make the most of it and ultimately don’t look too far ahead and don’t look ahead beyond the race weekend upcoming.’’
He confessed there had been years when the pressure and extended commitments of home race week wore him down but he now had a new lease on life.
“My outlook has definitely changed over time,’’ he said.
“There were definitely a couple of years where I feel we tried to do too much and it didn’t always feel like I was able to enjoy it as much as I should have.
“But I’d say since we came back in 2022 after the covid break, I loved being here (in Melbourne) then.
“And last year, as much as I would have loved to have been on track, I really enjoyed the weekend as a whole.
“I think as well, being at this point in my career and having been off track and having those unknowns - feeling like “ok, will I ever get back on track?
“I’m much more appreciative but also kind of not overwhelmed by it.
“More relaxed.
“I really want to have that mindset that having a home race is really a privilege.
“To have a home one is a feeling like no other and something I want to really soak in and enjoy.
“Just roll with it but I hope we have a good weekend.’’
Having scored points in his debut Australian Grand Prix in 2012, Ricciardo said finishing in the top 10 would again be his goal on Sunday.
“I feel like this is a weekend where hopefully everything runs smooth and with that I do believe I can be in the top 10,’’ he said.
“Try and get the team some first points of the year and just get it rolling.
“Obviously the top 10 doesn’t sound like it’s aiming very high but it’s so competitive where we are at the moment in that midfield battle that if I could leave Sunday with some points, I would be happy.’’
Ricciardo put his hand up to a poor season opener in Bahrain and a lacklustre qualifying effort.
“That was on me,’’ he said.
But he said the Saudi race threw “a few things up with the car that held us back’’, leaving him frustrated but hopeful for more from the car in Melbourne.
“I think on paper it probably looks like we haven’t had two good weekends but I think there were definitely some reasons behind the Saudi weekend which meant we weren’t competitive,’’ he said.
“It’s been a slow start but in this sport you just need one good weekend and then it’s ‘oh yeah, that’s right’.’’
Despite copping recent criticism from F1 experts including Aussie former World Champion Alan Jones, Ricciardo said he had nothing to prove to the doubters.
“I just want to prove it to myself,’’ he said.
“I certainly did that in Mexico last year when I got fourth on the grid.
“These are the things that I know I’m still capable of doing and don’t want it to just be once a year that I have a result like this.
“I want it to be week in, week out.
“But I think that result still proves to me that I can still do it and that is really it.
“That is really why I’m racing again and why I’ve come back - because I believe I can still do it.
“It’s not necessarily about proving others right or wrong.
“I appreciate a lot of people support me but it’s really about being the competitor within myself.
“I know I’ve put the work in so it’s really just making sure that I can do what I set out to do.’’
More Coverage
Originally published as Daniel Ricciardo’s plan to ensure tenth F1 Australian Grand Prix isn’t his last
Fans turn on F1 driver over unforgivable act
Formula One icon Martin Brundle can add another snub to his glorious grid walk catalogue after he was ignored at the US Grand Prix.
Piastri vows no repeat of fifth place finish at US Grand Prix
Even though Oscar Piastri managed a fifth placed finish at the US Grand Prix, the young gun wasn’t impressed with his ‘handful’ of a car, saying he doesn’t want a repeat in the final five races of the F1 season.