Ricciardo to "lay horizontal" after gruelling Formula 1 schedule

Daniel Ricciardo has vowed to now "lay horizontal" after completing the ninth race in 11 Formula 1 weekends with the Tuscan Grand Prix.

Due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, F1 has been forced to adopt a much-changed and congested calendar of 17 races between July and mid-December.

In the third triple-header of the season, Renault driver Ricciardo finished fourth twice and sixth on the other occasion, and even though he enjoyed the challenges provided by such stringent scheduling, he is now looking forward to a rest.

"I've enjoyed the triple-headers," said Ricciardo. "I have enjoyed getting on with it but by the end of every triple-header, you do feel it, I think everyone feels it.

"It's good whilst it lasts but once it is done it is like all I want to do right now is lay horizontal.

"I probably speak for everyone. It is good but it is the limit and I think its only right everyone has a few days off after a triple-header. [I'm] Looking forward to trying to catch up with a bit of sleep.

"As well, with the racing, the adrenaline, and you're not sleeping in your own house with your own schedule, so you're not getting awesome sleep in hotel rooms or whatever, so looking forward to catching up on a few hours."

Mugello was the first of the new-and-returning circuits on the calendar this season, with the teams and drivers learning on the job through Friday practice.

With the scenario likely to be very much the same at the remaining 'unknown' venues, Ricciardo insisted he would relish the challenge of learning new track layouts.

"I'm looking forward to them," he added. "I think it is going to be fun. A bit of an unknown for a few of us and even at Mugello, learning the track on Friday.

"I drove there a few years ago but learning it in a faster car, it is cool trying to pick up some lines and different tricks and that whole process of learning is really fun."

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