Daniel Ricciardo: Formula 1 or nothing

Daniel Ricciardo spoke to Australian journalists about his mood this year, praising Oscar Piastri and insisting he is not yet thinking about moving to other racing categories.

Question: This season has a record length, consists of 24 races and only ends in March in December: how did you prepare for such a long championship?
Daniel Ricciardo: Yes, there is a need for endurance and we know that during the year there will not be enough time between races to work on fitness, so personally I started preparing for the season and started training much earlier than usual .

This is comparable to money deposited into a bank account, which should be sufficient for almost the entire year or at least until the summer holidays, after which it will probably be possible to replenish this deposit. This is very important because being healthy and in good shape will make it easier for you to overcome certain diseases or adapt to time zone changes.

In general, we are talking about that side of racing life that rarely comes into the public eye. So this year I prepared a little differently.

Q: Moving on to the topic of physical fitness, is last year’s arm injury somehow palpable or has it already completely healed?
Daniel Ricciardo: It is more reflected in the fact that in boxing I can hit with my right hand, but with my left it is worse (laughs). But in general, everything is fine, although sometimes some consequences are felt. Fortunately, they don’t interfere with the pilot process – and thank you for that, because I don’t need anything else.

Question: Do you hope to make the switch to Red Bull Racing next year and what results need to be achieved to make this possible?
Daniel Ricciardo: To be honest, I would like to end my career with this team, although this does not mean that the 2025 season will be my last. But then my career will go wonderfully, and this team has been performing very successfully lately. However, I always try to be careful with predictions, so I don’t think that far ahead.

For the past eighteen months, all I’ve thought about is next weekend, and then the next, and so on. For me, this is the most correct approach to achieve the results I can show, and I believe in it. And if it helps you get a place in a team like Red Bull, great. But I try not to think about such distant prospects.

Question: Are you happy that there are now two Australian drivers in Formula 1?
Daniel Ricciardo: This is great for Australian motorsport! I once looked up to Mark Webber, and his career gave me hope that an Australian could make it to Formula 1. Maybe I was the same reference point for Oscar Piastri, and he could become one for some of the young promising drivers. .

Last year, when I returned to racing, Oscar and I spoke, and I think he achieved great results, including winning the sprint in Qatar – this is a phenomenal achievement. We worked out together this weekend, he’s a great guy and I’m proud to have another Australian competing in the championship.

Q: Would you like to try some other racing categories? Maybe we’ll see you at the start of the Bathurst or Le Mans classic? After all, Mark Webber continued his career in endurance racing…
Daniel Ricciardo: I don’t know if I want to compete in other racing categories; rather, we might be talking about a number of one-off projects. I was given the opportunity to return to Formula 1 and now that’s all I think about, although I still remain a fan of other forms of motorsport. At the same time I am sure: Formula 1 or nothing. And if we’re talking about other championships, I’d rather just remain a fan for the time being.

Question: We have to assume that you are happy that you have returned to Formula 1 and will spend a full season in the World Championship?
Daniel Ricciardo: While this may sound a bit contradictory, I feel like a heavy burden has been lifted from my shoulders and I feel a lot lighter, even though I try my best. This became possible thanks to a break from racing, when I was able to look at my career from a different perspective.