It Wasn’t An F1 Race That Convinced Ricciardo He Was Ready To Come Back

Posted on December 8, 2023 | by Charley Williams You would think seeing the adoring fans at your home race and the fast cars you once drove on track would be quite a defining moment in your eventual F1 comeback, right?  Wrong. Well, if you’re Daniel Ricciardo. After two disappointing years with McLaren, apart from his 2021 Italian GP victory, the team chose to end his contract early and replace him with Oscar Piastri for the 2023 season, leaving Ricciardo without a drive. Ricciardo struggled to get to grips with the McLaren car and admitted it just wasn’t suiting his driving style. Ultimately, it cost the team valuable points and, more importantly, made Ricciardo unhappy. Hence, the decision to terminate his contract with a year left wasn’t unexpected but was disappointing for both parties. He took a role as Red Bull’s third driver but made a surprise comeback in mid-2023 to replace Nyck de Vries at AlphaTauri. Since his return, he’s been quite open about needing the small break he was given, which is why he chose to turn down opportunities to drive for Haas this season. But the return came at a good time, as Ricciardo recalled when he knew he was ready to return to F1 on the Beyond The Grid podcast. Tom Clarkson, who hosts the podcast, said it must have been when Ricciardo attended the Australian GP, but while Daniel said that was definitely a factor, it was actually another sporting event that persuaded him. “The Super Bowl was another quite pivotal weekend where being around competition and for the NFL, at the highest level, with the bright lights, so to speak, with everything at its highest, I think being around that also made me miss it. “I love being a fan; I loved being there just to fully enjoy it and not be invested in it, but there was a part of me that was like, ‘Man, these guys are so lucky today like they are so lucky to be on the field and to be able to do this’. “I’d say the Super Bowl was really where the dial got turned.” Interesting! Thank you to the Super Bowl for bringing Ricciardo back! ????