Ricciardo contemplates MMA career

Daniel Ricciardo has admitted that his frustrations in Formula One are starting to trouble him, and has even jokingly suggested he could swap sporting careers by moving over to Mixed Martial Arts, asking president of the UFC Dana White to drop him a line!

The Australian has had a season of ups and downs so far, and it was certainly the latter for him at the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday as he was forced to retire 51 laps in because of a broken exhaust.

The frustrations are becoming so frequent that he has questioned his childhood decision to become a F1 driver!

"This is the sport I signed up for as a kid," he told Sky Sports.

"If I could live my youth again I would probably change it. I'm sure at some point it will turn my way, it is frustrating. I'm disappointed with how the day went, as soon as we put the softs on it didn't feel like it gave me much."

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Ricciardo does not know what caused his exhaust disruption, questioning whether it was perhaps debris.

"Kimi set the best lap on the last lap with a same tyre life, but I had to pit 30 laps earlier" he continued.

"Whether it was debris, I don't know. For Max, the team and the orange fans it is a great day."

With his tongue firmly in his cheek, Ricciardo suggested he could change his career to MMA, and sent a 'come-and-and-get-me' plea to White of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

"Is it too late to start my MMA career?," he joked. " I'm out of contract so maybe I will swap sports altogether. Dana White (president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship) maybe you can call me, it might take a few years, it will give me something to take out my anger on."