Daniel Ricciardo admits dramatic F1 moment 'pretty pathetic'

Daniel Ricciardo speaks on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert — Photo: © LAT Images

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Ricciardo admits dramatic F1 moment 'pretty pathetic'

The Aussie has admitted the incident took the wind out of his sails after his return to F1

Tyler Rowlinson

Tuesday 30 January 2024 05:57

Daniel Ricciardo has called his 2023 Zandvoort crash 'pretty pathetic'.

The Australian broke his hand in the accident, sidelining him for five races just weeks after he'd returned to the track with AlphaTauri, replacing Nyck de Vries ten races into the season.

Daniel Ricciardo made his return to F1 with AlphaTauri halfway through 2023

Ricciardo had lost the passion for the sport after his departure from Mclaren

Ricciardo: 'Zandvoort crash was pretty pathetic'

Speaking with motorsport.com, Ricciardo opened up on how the time away from the cockpit gave him a different perspective on his career and life.

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He said: “When you go through something, obviously it can change you a little bit and give you maybe a different perspective, or make you appreciate the good times more or understand how to handle the low.

“Or when you were down, maybe then you realise what's important to you and what isn't.

The Aussie broke his hand just two races into his F1 comeback

“I just felt hungry and motivated again, like my old self, and I was loving it. So then for that to happen, it did temporarily take a bit of wind out of my sails," he explained.

“I just tried to think ahead, to the quickest way I can get better and recover again, and I just refused to let the hard work I'd put in the whole year to get back to that place come undone because of an injury."

McLaren Daniel Ricciardo AlphaTauri Nyck de Vries Zandvoort