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Daniel Ricciardo feels like he has turned the clock back 10 years on his return to F1.
The beaming smile that has become his trademark, which was often lost during his two wilderness years at McLaren, is back on the face of the 33-year-old Australian after just two races with AlphaTauri.
Ahead of this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix, Ricciardo was in an ebullient mood as he faced the media at Zandvoort following a summer break in which he spurned usual leisurely pleasures to continue to work on his fitness and ever-improving mindset.
Ricciardo now is in stark contrast to the one that departed McLaren under a dark cloud just over eight months ago, wondering whether he would rekindle the passion he once held for the sport.
After being rapidly thrust into the seat vacated by the sacked Nyck de Vries, and although fighting at the rear of the midfield with an under-performing AlphaTauri, a positive Ricciardo has his sights set on a long-term second coming.
“I’m definitely taking it race-by-race but in terms of where I’m at, I’m not just saying ‘Oh yeah, I’m just going to finish racing this season and then see what happens’, I want to be racing for a few more years now,” enthused Ricciardo.
“I think six months ago that was not my answer. I didn’t know what my answer was, and that was something I was really trying to find out during the time off.
“But coming back in, I’ve described it to some people in that it feels like me 10 years ago. I feel like I do have that young energy again, that motivation, and ultimately that happiness and love to be back on the grid and to be racing.
“So yeah, the plan in my head is a few more years, but as far as performance-wise, I take it race by race.”
The two races have so far have naturally not yielded eye-catching results, with Ricciardo 13th in Hungary and 16th in Belgium, albeit with the caveat the car is arguably a back-marker in terms of its performance.
But after getting his feet back under the table with those two drives, Ricciardo now has 10 races to secure an extended contract into next season before aiming for a hoped-for return with Red Bull in 2025.
Whatever the length of his return, Ricciardo has made it his mission to enjoy every moment.
For now, at least, he feels similar as to when he was just starting out on his career with Toro Rosso.
“That’s really what I’ve been trying to get back to – the start, the early days, the real roots, and the core of why I got into this and the things that motivated me and why I wanted to be here in this position,” said Ricciardo.
“Just kind of stripping everything back and getting back to the pure enjoyment of the sport and the love of it.
“It obviously got a bit clouded over the last year or two, and I certainly found myself not in a place where I was enjoying it as much as I wanted.
“As I said, six months ago I wasn’t sure if…I remember we sat down in December and I wasn’t sure if I would get back into the sport, or race again.
“I just take this now as every weekend is a bonus. I’m here, I’m racing, I’m loving it, I’m going to enjoy it.
“There’s not really too much pressure or anything. I feel I have a point to prove but I’m not carrying too much weight with that.”
