Daniel Ricciardo is looking to put the news of his impending departure from the McLaren F1 Team behind him and focus on the racing as the FIA Formula 1 World Championship returns after its summer break this weekend in Belgium.
The Australian will leave McLaren at the end of the 2022 season despite having a contract for 2023, with his countryman Oscar Piastri expected to replace him once his contract dispute with the BWT Alpine F1 Team is sorted out.
Ricciardo, a former winner of the Belgian Grand Prix back when he was racing for Red Bull Racing, is excited to return to Spa-Francorchamps, a circuit that he finds thrilling, and he is looking to push across the remaining nine races of the year to leave McLaren on a high.
“I’m looking forward to heading back to Belgium,” said Ricciardo. “The track at Spa is an exciting one and you always get a thrill going through the fast corners, particularly through Eau Rouge into Raidillon.
“Mixed with the long straights and iconic features, we can really push the cars. There’s also always a good atmosphere so it’s a nice track to return to after a few weeks off.
“I’m feeling recharged after the summer break. I’ve spent some time in the US resting and resetting with friends and I feel ready to hop back in the car and give everything for the remaining nine races.
“After the news today, my full focus is now on the rest of the season and to make sure I leave on a high. Let’s get back racing.”
“We’ve got some work to do in the fight for fourth” – Lando Norris
Team-mate Lando Norris also feels refreshed after the summer break, and he is eager to resume the battle with Alpine over fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship.
Despite having impressive pace across the past two years in Belgium, Norris’ luck at Spa-Francorchamps has not been great, with a final lap retirement in 2020 being followed by a high-speed crash in extremely wet conditions in Qualifying last year.
Norris says he is confident McLaren can bring a strong car to Belgium and take the fight to Alpine, with just four points separating the two teams heading into the final nine races of the season.
“I’ve enjoyed the last few weeks off from the busy F1 calendar,” said Norris. “I’ve played some golf and made sure I’ve taken the time to really relax so I’m ready to go for part two of the season.
“We’ve got some work to do in the fight for fourth in the championship but I’m ready to get stuck back into the battle.
“Spa is always a great challenge for the teams and the drivers. I’m in the factory this week so I’ll be fully prepped to get behind the wheel and I’m looking forward to getting back in the car to see what we can do.
“With my mum being from Belgium, Spa feels like another home race for me so it will be great to see the fans and hopefully score some points in front of them. Fingers crossed the weather will hold out a bit better this year!”
