F1 | Ricciardo: “I don't go to McLaren to do shows”

As soon as Daniel Ricciardo's move to McLaren was made official, many Formula 1 fans immediately thought of the gags with Lando Norris. That press conference at Silverstone in 2019 was unforgettable, where the Englishman burst out laughing after a joke from Ricciardo. However, in an interview with Sky Sports UK, the Perth rider wanted to clarify that he has no intention of doing shows.

“It's something I want to reiterate, especially to McLaren fans. There won't be a comedy show, I go to McLaren for business, to improve the car. My personality won't change, so I think I'll enjoy doing what I do but I certainly won't go there to form that "meme" couple that people are already talking about."

Regarding the fact of leaving Renault which he himself contributed to making competitive again, as demonstrated by the three podiums obtained in 2020 (two by Ricciardo and one by Ocon, ed.), the 31-year-old reiterated that he has no regrets:

“I left the team satisfied, I think it's important for me to feel like I helped bring something new to this team. We got the podiums, I saw the joy not only on my face but also on the team's faces, it's been so long.".

Ricciardo then spoke about the terrible accident in Bahrain involving Romain Grosjean. It was he who took sides against the FIA ​​for having shown images of the accident several times, a gesture that the Australian considered disrespectful towards Grosjean's family and the drivers who should have restarted the race:

“I think some riders might be a little, I don't know if I'm proud or scared of having changed the sport from a safety point of view. Because to be honest it's why we grew up loving the sport. We started racing go-karts when we were little because it was dangerous, because it was a bit rebellious. It was wild, it was fast and it gave you a good adrenaline rush. I think we've always loved that element, but at the same time none of us want to lose our lives doing this. Unfortunately, sometimes accidents are needed to really send a signal to some riders."

Last year, Formula 1, also thanks to the praiseworthy contribution of Lewis Hamilton, spoke out in favor of the fight against racism. A choice more than shared by Ricciardo, who hopes it will be repeated this season too:

“I hope it will happen again, I really want it. I think if we believe in it all the way and support this cause, there's no reason why we shouldn't continue. 2020 was a pretty rough year for so many reasons, but it was a year where I learned more about how the world works, so to speak. I definitely feel strong about what I've learned and want to continue learning and hopefully educate myself and others around me. If that means continuing to take a stand like we did in 2020, then yes, absolutely.”