Daniel Ricciardo is “all good” with missing out on the opportunity to drive the Red Bull RB7 at this weekend’s Bathurst 12 Hour.
Liam Lawson will take the wheel of the Formula 1 world championship-winning machine today on the iconic Mount Panorama circuit.
Ricciardo, meanwhile, was in New York where he was a key part of Red Bull’s 2023 season launch.
“It’s all good,” Ricciardo said when asked by Speedcafe.com if he was disappointed to have missed out on the chance to drive an F1 car around Bathurst.
“I’m still kind of in holiday mode so that [Bathurst demonstration run] seems too serious for me right now.
“A run a 110cc bike is all I could handle right now!”
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He does, however, retain a desire to drive around Australia’s most iconic racetrack.
It’s a point he’s made no secret of in the past, even identifying the Bathurst 12 Hour as an event he’d like to take part in, should the right opportunity present itself.
“I went as a kid, ages ago, in a rental car,” he said.
“I’ve never been there for an actual event.
“I will get there at some point. One day, I still would like to drive something in anger around there, even if it’s not competitively – even if someone just gives me that car for a day to do some laps.”
Ricciardo has kept a comparatively low profile since the final race of the 2022 Formula 1 season.
He signed a contract to become Red Bull’s Third Driver on the Sunday morning of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which was announced in the days that followed.
He’s since then spent time with friends and family away from the stress of Formula 1.
“Still let’s say like taking it as a day-by-day approach,” he said of his feelings towards the sport.
“I’m trying not to put too much stress on and, by March 1 I really need to know how I feel.
“I really just kind of want to let it happen naturally.
“Being here at the launch, it does excite me and it is kind of a cool feeling, but I’m also really happy to be taking the year I’m taking – at least currently, where I sit, it does, it does really feel right.”
Ricciardo will return to work in the coming weeks, where he’ll perform simulator duties for Red Bull race drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez ahead of the 2023 season.
There will be some promotional outings for the Australian too, and potentially some tyre testing later in the year to keep him some way race fit.
“The holiday is kind of winding down,” he said.
“I do feel I’ve had close to enough time off.
“I’m going to go [to the] Superbowl next weekend and then I’ll start to probably get back into a bit more of a regime and a bit more training and stuff.
“And I’ll see what happens over the course the next couple of months, but I don’t think anything needs to be rushed,” he added of returning to a full training programme.
“I need to stay obviously sharp enough that if I do need to jump in spontaneously, then you know, I’m not 20 kilos overweight, but I look pretty good right now, so I think I’m not too overweight!”
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