Exclusive Daniel Ricciardo says: "Nothing can hurt me anymore"

We came down with Daniel Ricciardo to discuss how he manages the opportunities for Red Bull promotion while completely facing disappearance from Formula 1.

Only a few weeks ago, Daniel Ricciardo's Formula 1 career was dead in the water. He was then brought back into the mix first because he resurfaced as a candidate to replace Sergio Perez mid-season at Red Bull.

F1 can be an interesting old company, and experienced Ricciardo has seen most aspects of it.

"It is a funny business," he says in agreement when Motorsport.com catches up with him in Spa.

"And having the time off last year let me come back into this company and just manage these things far more effectively. I giggle a little bit about it. I somehow like it.

"Is that a little tense? Absolutely. Nonetheless, you know what? Being involved in this wild sport is enjoyable; the world is crazy as well.

"Many of us are under strain, and occasionally we will have to find out whether we can bear it. And seeing whether I can do excites me as well."

Along with Sebastian Valkyens and Max Verstappen, Ricciardo personally knows Red Bull's pressure cooker. And in retrospect, the Australian's first Red Bull run, featuring seven of his eight grand prix victories, appears ever more remarkable considering the tribulations of others who tried to replace him.

But the 35-year-old has also gone through the reverse, most famously his inability to make things go at McLaren.

He was becoming buried in a whirlwind of his own creating as he dug more and deeper to modify his driving technique to a car he cannot grasp.

Other than that magnificent afternoon in Monza where he led a McLaren 1-2 as Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton clashed, Ricciardo was eventually put out of his suffering two years floundering with Lando Norris.

And following that devastating experience that robbed him of his excitement for F1, Ricciardo confronted the existential issue of whether he had the stomach to return to the sport that was so all-consuming that it ate him the first time.

But then Red Bull's Christian Horner gave him a lifeline and a test at Silverstone in July convinced Horner that the elderly Honey Badger who had won seven races for him was still in there someplace.

Ricciardo started over in 2024 with the advantage of a complete pre-season to prove he belonged in Perez's seat following a hand injury in Zandvoort that threw off his comeback at Red Bull's satellite AlphaTauri squad – now RB.

Ricciardo found it more difficult to get his stride in the VCARB01, though, while team mate Yuki Tsunoda struck brilliant form to establish a Red Bull claim of his own. More often than not Tsunoda got the upper hand in qualifying, allowing the Japanese to accumulate 22 points instead of Ricciardo's 12.

Ricciardo ordered a chassis change in Shanghai, which proved a turning point; he excels with a fourth position in the Miami sprint and fifth in Canadian GP qualifying and is progressively displaying the required consistency Red Bull and RB need.

"We have definitely had a somewhat different tempo this season," Ricciardo notes. "It took me a little bit to uncover; Yuki's levels have been solid from truly start to finish and he hasn't really had as many lows.

" Clearly, my year began to show some more promise in China with the chassis adjustment. From that point on, though, I definitely felt a little bit more at one with a car and began to get some of that belief back-up.

"That's been really crucial if we are to continue with the tempo. Now it's only ensuring that I can extract it more often, which I have done; naturally, though, I constantly want more from myself."

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At his lowest, some started wondering whether he was destined to repeat his McLaren collapse.

Ricciardo was annoyed with his lack of performance, but this time his gloominess was lacking as well.

There is nothing left to worry about for a man who already felt his F1 career was over eighteen months ago.

"It's not like I have a 'I don't care' approach; rather, my viewpoint is that all this now is a bonus since, at the end of 2022 maybe I would never race Formula 1 again," he says.

"So, if there is going to be some pressure then OK, let's seize this second chance. These days, nothing truly bothers me.

"I have no influence over anything that will transpires. I have influence over what transpires on schedule. I hardly even consider it race by race. I attend session per session.

Ricciardo will be sticking with RB for the rest of the season, missing out on Red Bull promotion temporarily but also avoiding an early replacement by reserve driver Liam Lawson, who most certainly will join the grid in 2025.

That call has now been put back towards the conclusion of the season, although Ricciardo won not turn back with regrets should 2024 prove to be his last season in Formula 1.

"I would naturally be depressed as I still feel so determined and hungry; I feel like I have still to offer. When asked how he would feel if 2024 marks the conclusion of his path, he puts himself back in a quite decent position.

"So, it would be sad, but I would absolutely take it from a position of thankfulness as well, and I believe that's where my viewpoint may occasionally be useful.

"Look, I'm happy I had the time I had and drove a car that won races. I have a more than ten-year career in a sport I know many can only dream about.

"I would most likely think about that before turning in for sleep. Still, I sense inside that I'm not ready."