Red Bull reserve Daniel Ricciardo reveals the DARKEST he's ever felt after a race

Daniel Ricciardo

Ricciardo reveals the DARKEST he's ever felt after a race

Red Bull reserve speaks out on tough times and plans for the future

Lauren Sneath

Thursday 22 June 2023 11:17

Daniel Ricciardo has said the aftermath of the infamous 2016 race in Monaco when he and Max Verstappen crashed out of the race was ‘the darkest I’ve ever been after a race’.

The Australian driver was partnered with Verstappen at Red Bull that year, and their competitive rivalry took over, leading them to collide.

Yet two years later, in 2018, Ricciardo managed to snatch a victory in Monte-Carlo.

Ricciardo discussed the highs and lows he has felt during his time in F1 with journalist Lissie Mackintosh during this year’s Monaco Grand Prix Weekend.

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Asked about the hard times in his career, he said: “There are days or there are moments all the time where you’re like, ‘Sure, it hurts,’ but that's temporary. But I think that's where you learn the most about yourself.

“In a way it's nearly a good pain, if you can learn from it. I do enjoy those experiences (in) kind of a sick way. Like 2016… that was the darkest I've probably ever been after a race.

“I looked back on it and I was like, ’This means so much to me and that's why I feel that way.’

So that's a good thing, you know, it's like my priorities are there.”

McLaren 2022 season had Ricciardo ‘pretty down’

Ricciardo also discussed how he needed to take a break from racing after last year, which was his final season with McLaren.

He said he was ‘pretty down’ and ‘a bit fed up with it’ during the 2022 season, which saw team-mate Lando Norris leapfrog him in the points and his relationship with the McLaren team crumble.

Ricciardo explained: “The last few years, I think, also made me appreciate like when things are going well like you have to enjoy the moment, and in this world, it's so easy to be like, ‘OK, next race, next race, next race.’ and you don't always enjoy the little wins.

“I think as well, even though I was pretty down last year and like a bit fed up with it at times, as much as I wanted this break, I also was like, ‘OK, I feel this way because I still love it and I wanted this time to really understand how much I do.”