Ricciardo believes in himself: 'I still belong in F1'

Results have not improved since his departure from Red Bull Racing, but the move to McLaren marked the start of a frustrating era for Ricciardo. Since joining the team at the start of 2021, he has been overshadowed by his teammate Lando Norris. He did manage a win at Monza after Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton drove each other off the track there, but that result did not turn things around.

Meanwhile, the relationship between McLaren and Ricciardo seems to cool down considerably and it is expected that the 33-year-old Australian will have to make way for his younger compatriot Oscar Piastri next year. Still, none of this detracts from Ricciardo's motivation. "It has to be one of the only sports in the world where there’s only twenty that are doing it. To be able to not only be part of that group, but to compete inside that group, that’s such a unique thing in itself," he said in an interview with Speedcafe.com.

Ricciardo believes in himself

As an F1 driver he has known both high peaks and deep lows. Those high peaks are what Ricciardo does it for. "The highs you get are just so high because so much goes into it," he explains. For a victory, sometimes everything has to be put on the line by both the driver and his team. When it all comes together, Ricciardo says, it's a huge rush.

The McLaren driver is far from finished with F1. "I believe I still thrive off it because I still believe I belong [in Formula 1] and can do it," Ricciardo said. Where he will drive next year is still unclear.