Aussie star Daniel Ricciardo will celebrate 10 years in Formula One next year – with his fifth team

On the eve of his 10th year in the sport, Aussie Daniel Ricciardo believes a team switch and new F1 rules can help him finally dethrone Mercedes.

(FILES) In this file photo taken on July 11, 2019 Renault's Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo smiles during the drivers' press conference at Silverstone motor racing circuit in Silverstone, central England, on July 11, 2019 ahead of the British Formula One Grand Prix. - Australian Daniel Ricciardo will drive for McLaren in Formula One next season after signing a "multi-year" deal that will see him replace Ferrari-bound Carlos Sainz, the British team announced on May 14, 2020. (Photo by ANDREJ ISAKOVIC / AFP)

Daniel Ricciardo knows it’s sometimes easier to stay still.

But that’s not really in his DNA.

As he prepares to celebrate his 10th year in Formula One next year – with his fifth team – the Aussie star remains inspired by the challenge of a new environment as he continues his quest to contend for an elusive F1 championship.

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Third-placed at Imola was the highlight of Daniel Ricciardo’s 2020 season.

After two years with French manufacturer Renault, Ricciardo will, next year, make the switch to McLaren, just in time for the acquisition of a Mercedes power unit for the famous F1 outfit.

It will be Ricciardo’s third team in four years following his initial shock departure from Red Bull Racing at the end of 2018.

Since his arrival on the grid in 2011, 31-year-old Ricciardo has raced for HRT, Toro Rosso, Red Bull, Renault, and now McLaren.

“It’s my fifth team … it’s a lot,” Ricciardo said.

“Obviously it’s easier just to stay put, but I like it, I like the challenge.

“I like working with new people and I think naturally you open yourself up to learning more with new teammates, with new engineers, new team, team managers. Maybe they have got a whole different mindset of how to run an organisation.

“I think it helps, it helps not only in F1, but even after F1 whether it’s in business or life in general, maybe there are more things I’ll learn.

“The two years with Renault were really cool. I think there are things that I look back on and go like ‘OK, we could have fast-tracked this’ and these are some tools I’ll use at McLaren and try to get up to speed obviously race one and be 100 per cent comfortable and confident in the car.”

Daniel Ricciardo makes the switch to McLaren next year after two years at Renault.

Ricciardo arrives at McLaren after the team placed third in the constructors’ championship in 2020 behind the all-conquering Mercedes outfit and his former team, Red Bull Racing, as Renault finished fifth.

He will again have another younger teammate alongside him at McLaren – 21-year-old Brit Lando Norris – with whom he has already shared some entertaining off-track moments.

The Perth racer said he was looking forward to “riding their high” with what he considered a team on the rise.

“I am a very confident and optimistic person and I feel like that team now is really running on high energy,” Ricciardo said.

“Finishing third in constructors (championship) and they have really turned a massive corner the last two years.

“I think I will be a perfect fit for that environment and help them continue to keep getting better and definitely won’t allow any complacency.”

Ricciardo finished seventh in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last weekend.

RENAULT RIDE

Reflecting on an “intense” season with 17 races crammed into four months following a four-month coronavirus shutdown, Ricciardo declared his final year with Renault as a “success”.

Ricciardo finished fifth in the drivers’ championship – his best result since his penultimate year with Red Bull in 2017 – claimed two podiums and points finishes in all but three races.

It was a significant step up from his first season with the French manufacturer when Ricciardo placed ninth in the drivers’ championship.

“To define it, I would definitely say it was a success,” Ricciardo said.

“Fifth in drivers’ championship is huge, it is actually higher than what I finished in my last year at Red Bull and I won two races that year, so it certainly speaks highly of where the team came – and where I came with the team – in the last 24 months.

“But by now at the end of the season I’m kind of glad it’s over, it was intense, an intense six months.”

Daniel Ricciardo declared his final season with Renault a “success”.

F1 CHANGE

As Formula One braces for major change in the next two years with the introduction of a cost cap in 2021 ahead of new technical regulations in 2022, the seven-time Grand Prix winner felt he was in the best position in his career to take advantage of changes in the sport.

“I’m at a good level now where I’m super experienced in the sport,” Ricciardo said.

“It’s my 10th year next year, but I’ve still got, let’s say, the will and the drive to push the car to the limit.

“So, I think I’m at a really good age and position to take advantage of rule changes if it’s there, but if not I think I’m just in a really happy and good place.”

After Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton claimed a record-equalling seventh world championship – his sixth in the past seven years – this year, Ricciardo was hopeful any changes would help to level the playing field.

“I just hope for the sport that it’s close, I hope there’s good battles,” Ricciardo said.

“I hope other teams can challenge Mercedes more often.

“Obviously that’s the job at hand now with McLaren is to really try and pressure them and we’ve got a Mercedes engine in the back so I guess that’s half the battle.

“But I think moving forward F1 is actually doing a good job with the cost caps, trying to bridge the gap from the top teams to the ones at the back.”

GENERATION NEXT

Daniel Ricciardo with young Australian F1 hopeful, Oscar Piastri.

As Ricciardo prepares to mark 10 years in Formula One next year, he said he would be happy for another emerging Australian motorsport star to one day “fill his shoes”.

Ricciardo said he had watched with interest the rise of Aussie teenager Oscar Piastri, who this year won the Formula 3 championship to earn a berth in Formula 2 in 2021.

He said he was happy to pass on whatever advice he could to Australia’s generation next.

“It’s another Aussie with an Italian surname, there is Piastri and there are a few others as well,” Ricciardo said.

“I was watching him (Piastri) this year. I got to meet him actually at the end of last year so I was definitely keeping an eye on him. I know Mark Webber as well is, also.

“It’s cool to see Australians take the step and move over to Europe and give it a go and then to see them succeed and do awesome.

“I’m obviously not going to do it forever, so I would love for – if it’s Piastri – to fill the shoes and jump in F1 soon.

“I did speak to him a bit, I saw him on some race weekends and if I can offer him advice, I 100 per cent will. Nothing to hide, I do like helping the young generation.”

For a chance to win Daniel Ricciardo’s 2020 Formula 1 helmet, Optus customers can head to https://offer.optus.com.au/windanshelmet and share their own ‘It starts with yes’ story.

Originally published as Aussie star Daniel Ricciardo will celebrate 10 years in Formula One next year – with his fifth team