Daniel Ricciardo has admitted that he expects to “turn some heads” next season despite placing less emphasis on the results themselves.
The Australian will remain with Scuderia AlphaTauri alongside Yuki Tsunoda in a year, he hopes, is a prelude to his return to Red Bull.
Time away from F1 at the start of 2023 allowed Ricciardo the opportunity to reassess what he wants from his time in the sport.
Where once his enjoyment was linked to race wins, he now realises there are other ways to measure success.
Results are a secondary consideration, and more important is delivering meaningful performances for the team, such as his seventh place in the Mexico City Grand Prix.
“I don’t want anything I say to be taken as I’m just happy to be here, and ‘Oh, if he’s smiling, then he’s doing good’,” Ricciardo said when asked by Speedcafe what 2024 means given his new mindset.
“It’s like getting a good effort sticker when you come eighth in the running race at school – out of eight kids.
“It’s not about that. It’s not at all like a mentality of just being complacent and content.”
Now 34 years old, Ricciardo is naturally nearing the end of his F1 career.
Realistically, with comparatively few years left, 2024 is crucial in determining the trajectory of this ‘second phase’.
“There is an element of me happy to be back, and I think I take that from a place of gratitude and a place of, I just really want to appreciate all of this,” Ricciardo said.
“Because last year, of course, through some lows, you just don’t enjoy it as much as I should.
“I’m coming from a place of gratitude, but I’m also coming from a place where I’m going all in, and I will expect results out of myself.
“I will expect me to do things like I did in Mexico and turn some heads, and have people saying ‘Oh, he’s still got it,” because I believe I can.
“Certainly, I will always put some pressure on myself to deliver, but it’s just probably the approach is a little bit different this time around.”
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