The Ricciardo-Alonso pep talk on an aeroplane which changed F1 fate
Ricciardo finished 13th at the F1 Hungarian Grand Prix, an encouraging first race for AlphaTauri since returning to the grid mid-season.
Afterwards he explained how speaking to a fellow veteran with experience of leaving F1 helped him on his pathway.
“Just having this half-year off, even if it wasn’t the year I expected off, half a year still gave me a kind of reset,” Ricciardo said. "I feel energised again.
“Actually I remember having a conversation with Alonso, maybe two years ago now.
“ I wasn't thinking of taking a break. We were just having a chat, I think on a flight somewhere.
“He said the break for him was one of the best things he ever did.”
Two-time F1 champion Alonso stepped away from the sport for three seasons before making a comeback with Alpine in 2021.
“That got me thinking that if I ever feel I need it, don’t be so scared of it,” Ricciardo said.
“Then I think seeing the year he’s had filled me with some confidence.
“Really glad to have been put in this position and come back feeling everything normal again.
“The grid, the start, the adrenaline, the emotion... enjoyed it all.
“For sure there are nerves, excitement, there’s a lot of these things.
“But sometimes we probably forget to remind ourselves to take it in and smile at the moment.
“Was really just trying to enjoy it and of course you still make sure you stay focus, but just enjoying it. The crowd was pretty cool. I heard a lot of cheers so it was fun.”
Ricciardo is back behind the wheel at this weekend’s F1 Belgian Grand Prix.
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
