F1 News: Daniel Ricciardo Opens Up On "Prioritising" Himself With AlphaTauri Comeback

Daniel Ricciardo has spoken about his shift in focus during his AlphaTauri comeback.

Daniel Ricciardo recently opened up on his shifted focus for the Formula 1 2023 season, reflecting on the balancing act between his roles in the sport. His return to the forefront with AlphaTauri marks a significant pivot in his approach to racing.

Key Takeaways:

• Journey from McLaren to Red Bull, then AlphaTauri: Beginning the season without a primary driving role, Ricciardo moved from McLaren to a support role at Red Bull. His season took an exciting turn when he replaced Nyck de Vries at AlphaTauri after just 10 races.
• Reflective Transition and Dedicated Approach: The shift to AlphaTauri prompted Ricciardo to reassess his approach.
• Restructuring Life Around Racing: Emphasising a more focused lifestyle, Ricciardo has consciously reduced his off-track engagements, centring his life more around his racing career and personal health.

Daniel Ricciardo's trajectory in the 2023 Formula 1 season is not just another chapter in his career; it's a reinvention of his approach to the sport. After transitioning from McLaren to a secondary role at Red Bull, his move to AlphaTauri reinvigorated his racing spirit. This change was accompanied by a profound introspection about his professional and personal life balance.

During an interview with Formula 1, the Australian driver explained: 

"I've definitely cut back on a lot of things, let's say, outside of racing, for sure.

"I still have some other interests outside of the sport, which I'm involved in, and I enjoy, but I've minimised a lot.

"I'm really just trying to, I think, make sure that... I think it always has been, but to obviously make the racing the priority. With the calendar now and the schedule, if I've got some time off, then I'm either in the gym or I'm putting my feet up and recovering for the next race."

He continued:

"I think just kind of prioritising a few things outside of this job. Especially the way the sport's growing, it's easy to get a little bit - I don't even want to say lost - but there's just so much going.

"There's so many things that you can be doing. It's all really exciting and really fun, and I am... I love that stuff, of course, because it's obviously a new experience and it's great.

"But I think having the time off for the start of the year, I realised that I was probably just doing too much sometimes and probably even just not prioritising myself in terms of my body and my recovery and all that. So, in a long way of saying it, just trying to focus on that."