Daniel Ricciardo has opened up on the failures of his time at McLaren, admitting he was “humbled” by his two years of misery at McLaren, culminating in his departure from the Formula One grid to join his old team as a reserve driver.
In an interview with The Athletic, Ricciardo maintains he would have value to add to any team that wants to sign him, and would bring a wisdom that his younger self didn’t have.
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“I don’t want to say I got humbled, because that’s probably too dramatic,” Ricciardo told the publication.
“I didn’t have my head up my a***. But in a way, I got humbled, and I did realise that OK, I’m not perfect.
“If I was to get back on the grid, of course the hunger would be filled to the top.
“But it wouldn’t be coming from a place where my ego or pride is getting in the way.
“It’s accepting that it’s not always going to be perfect. It’s just a reality of life.”
Ricciardo said he isn’t fully committed to a comeback, but says the feeling is “brewing” inside of him.
“I’m trying to put myself in the mindset of, if I was competing, how would I feel? Where’s my energy at?” he said.
“I want all those answers now so I can get into next year with a clear plan.
“I’m glad I’m not foaming at the mouth (at not being on the grid), because then I’d probably be questioning s***, ‘should I have taken the year off?’
“But it is brewing.”
Ricciardo noted that regardless of the state of his racing career in an ever-uncertain Formula One world, he’s happier than he’s ever been, and that the people around him have noticed the return of his trademark Colgate smile after a tough 2022.
“The bad days would (last year) then flow into my weeks,” he said.
“Then I would have bad days as normal days when I’m not at the track.
“I was just not a good person at times to be around.
“I feel it (being happier in 2023).
“But when other people that know me well recognise it, I guess it’s true.”
The comments come after Ricciardo hinted at the criteria he had for joining a new team in 2024, insisting he wouldn’t join a team on the grid for the sake of it.
“It doesn’t scare me (a lack of available seats). It’s always been like that,” he told Top Gear.
“I knew this was going to be a risk obviously removing myself from a seat. But I think it’s clear what I don’t want. I don’t want (just) any seat next year … I don’t want to just start from zero, and kind of build my career from scratch.
“It’s not coming from an arrogant place. But I’m just past that. I don’t think that’s going to stimulate me or give me that second wind I’m looking for.
“So it makes the top seats even scarcer. But that’s where I know I will be able to perform at my best and thrive.”