Daniel Ricciardo tells the story of his first day back at Red Bull
During the off-season, Daniel Ricciardo returned to Red Bull. He became a reserve driver within his team. The Australian recounted his first day back, which unfolded in two parts.
Daniel Ricciardo had a challenging year at McLaren. The Australian arrived with high expectations to form a duo with Lando Norris, but things didn’t go as planned. The results were disappointing for him while the Briton performed quite well. Despite that, Ricciardo managed to secure a victory after joining McLaren in 2021.
The loss of confidence at McLaren
After two years, Daniel Ricciardo was released from McLaren to join his former team, Red Bull, as a reserve driver. During these years, the Australian reveals that he had lost confidence, which he tried to regain by joining the Austrian team.
On the first day, when I returned to Red Bull, I was trying to readjust to the car. […] But it took me more laps than I wanted. I thought it would be seen as if I had developed bad habits, said the Australian.
A return full of benefits
The disappointing results at McLaren, particularly during the second season in 2022, did not help with the development and continuity of Daniel Ricciardo. As an experienced driver, the Australian lost more than he gained in terms of confidence. Finding a position at Red Bull allowed him to realize this.
“I think it was when I came back to Red Bull, on the first day, that I realized I had lost all my self-confidence,” said the former Renault driver.
Finally, Daniel Ricciardo managed to regain the confidence that had left him after his experience at McLaren. However, the Australian reveals that the first part of his first day at Red Bull did not go so well for him in terms of performance.
But a familiar face allowed him to find his bearings and go in the right direction. The second part of the day went well. I feel like I never left the team, and it feels really good. I have Simon Renie, who was my engineer when I was in the team, and who now takes care of the simulator. We have a very good rhythm, “said Daniel Ricciardo.
Now, the Australian has regained his confidence and his desire from the early days. The former driver from McLaren has managed to adapt to the car, team life, and is putting himself back on track to hope for a permanent comeback in the category.
“I have regained my confidence. I have rediscovered my passion for sports. We have reached a point where Simon tells me that I can stop, but I don’t want to, I want to continue. I really appreciate it,” said Daniel Ricciardo.
