Australian F1 star Daniel Ricciardo insists he still ‘has fire in the gut’ and is not giving up

F1 star Daniel Ricciardo may be moving on from McLaren at season’s end but the Australian insists his winning ways will return, saying the fire is still in his belly. 

Ricciardo will finish up with McLaren in eight races, putting a pen through the final year of his contract.

The 33-year-old has raced 12 seasons in the Formula One and boasts a decorative career headlined by a massive Italian Grand Prix win in Monza last year.

Next week will be the one-year anniversary of Ricciardo’s last win, where he famously told his McLaren crew ‘I never left’ on team radio.

Daniel Ricciardo pumps his fist after winning the 2021 Italian Grand Prix in grand style

Daniel Ricciardo publicly announces to his Instagram followers that he is separating from McLaren at season’s end

Unfortunately for the West Australian he has struggled to perform for McLaren in his second season – becoming known as the second driver to Brit Lando Norris. 

Ricciardo’s driving future has been placed over a media cloud for months, but the eight-time podium champ says he was relieved McLaren made a decision.

‘[It made] the act of driving a little sweeter,’ Ricciardo told Code Sports. 

The former Redbull driver has never been behind the wheel of a number one car, but has battled his way to two third place finishes in the drivers’ championship (2014 and 2016), where he was in career best form.

The number three man says he still has much to prove in F1 and believes he is capable of shaking up standings in seasons to come, should he decide to sign elsewhere. 

Ricciardo jokes around with teammate Lando Norris during the Dutch Grand Prix practice

‘It’s a shame that … I haven’t been able to show my true self often enough in the last 18 months.

Winning is fun. Winning makes me happy … that fire in my gut is still there. It hasn’t gone away.’

Ricciardo then moved to Renault on a two-year $50million deal, where he left winless and was picked up by the McLaren team in 2021.

He currently sits 13th in the driver standings and at this rate will log his worst year behind the wheel since 2013.

Ricciardo says he received many nice messages from fellow drivers such as Sergio Perez, who knows what it feels like to be in the hot seat.

Podium topper Daniel Ricciardo celebrates at Monaco Grand Prix in 2018

Next year is still up in the air for the down under star, who hasn’t entertained any offers but says he will either take a short break in the sport or return with a new team. 

Ricciardo has put on the helmet 224 times across his career and has been with a new team every two years since 2017.

The remaining F1 events will serve as an application for himself, kicking off on Sunday night at the Dutch Grand Prix, where he must make early moves to rise from grid 17.