2023-11-03 08:32:52
(Motorsport-Total.com) – For Daniel Ricciardo, the Formula 1 race in Mexico last weekend was the liberation he was hoping for. With fourth place in qualifying and seventh place in the race, he not only gave AlphaTauri an important result, but also proved to himself that he can still do it after two difficult years at McLaren.
Daniel Ricciardo scored his first points of the season in Mexico
“The fact that I had a strong weekend from start to finish says something,” emphasizes the Australian and would like to underline that this weekend in Brazil. “Having a good weekend is not enough. In this sport you always have to improve.”
Before Mexico, Ricciardo was confident that they could achieve a good result – and he is extremely pleased that it turned out that way. Because he finally feels comfortable in the car again. He hasn’t had that feeling for a long time. “I think it was 1996,” he laughs. “No, but it’s been a while. But it’s not like every weekend at McLaren was bad.”
Nevertheless, one can see it as a bit of a surprise that Ricciardo already has the self-confidence for a good result in his fourth real weekend for AlphaTauri and can then put it into practice.
“Before qualifying it was clear to me that we would be in Q3,” he says. “I was very confident that we wouldn’t have any problems getting into Q3 – especially with the extra tenths from Yuki’s slipstream.”
In his head he went through a lap and, at best, saw himself in seventh place. “That would be fantastic, I thought, but fourth place was even better than we thought.”
What made headlines, of course, was the fact that the Australian also beat Sergio Perez, in whose cockpit he is often written, and he was only a little short of Max Verstappen. “Yeah, that was pretty cool,” he says.
“Fourth place is great, but it wasn’t like Max or in that case Charles [Leclerc] were eight tenths ahead. We were only two tenths off pole, and that felt just as good as fourth place.”
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Of course, after the strong result, Ricciardo will also be asked about a possible move to Red Bull. But he waves it off and says there were no discussions with Red Bull about it: “Everything about my contract for next year was only related to AlphaTauri. There’s nothing more,” he says.
The weekend in Mexico was simply good for his soul – and of course also good for the team, which was able to climb from tenth place in the constructors’ championship to eighth place. “And I’m happy with that and want to move on from there.”
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For his former teammate Verstappen, it is no surprise that Ricciardo is back in shape so quickly: “It’s like riding a bike, you don’t forget it,” says the Dutchman. “I’m not surprised. I’m sure he can still feel his hand a little bit, but when you’re in the car you’re so full of adrenaline that it doesn’t bother you much.”
“Of course he had a great weekend and put in a great performance, but I’m not going to say: ‘Wow! How is that possible?’ I know what Daniel can do.”
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And of course the question comes up again as to whether he would rather have Ricciardo or Sergio Perez as a teammate for 2024. Verstappen emphasizes that he always had a great relationship with Ricciardo, but he also had the same with Perez.
“I think it’s a bit unfair to sit here and say who I would prefer as a teammate. They were both great teammates and in the end it’s not my decision. I’m focused on my own performance.”
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Verstappen emphasizes: “If it’s Checo next year, great. I have a great working relationship with him and personally I think he’s a great guy. And if it’s Daniel, we’ll get along well and have a great time.”
“But Formula 1 can be a tough sport and you ask questions like that here. Maybe nothing will happen. Let’s wait and see.”
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