Ricciardo filled with “butterflies” ahead of exciting Monaco GP

The familiar winning territory could be just what the doctor ordered for Daniel Ricciardo’s season, with the Australian coming into the Monaco Grand Prix with a “genuine feeling of happiness and confidence and possibility” at the circuit that reignited his desire to return to the grid last season.

This weekend sees the end to Ricciardo’s absence around the unforgiving streets of Monte Carlo, with the Australian now back with the Red Bull Racing family in the RB. 

Having last driven in Monaco in 2022 as a McLaren driver, Ricciardo will be hoping to find a strengthened connection to his VCARB 01 this weekend, putting confidence and bravery alongside one another as the key factors to success.

“For sure, the circuit rewards a bit of bravery and these things as well,” Ricciardo said. 

“But like always… the driver can make the difference here but if you’re connected with your car, that also allows you to make the difference.

“So, in a way, it’s a race where it’s like ‘oh setup doesn’t matter as much’ but it can also matter even more because if you’re comfortable with the setup, that then allows you to drive kind of out of your skin.”

The circuit has rewarded the Australian with a mixed bag of highs and lows.

No F1 fan could forget Ricciardo’s triumphant win in 2018, redemption that came just two years after pure heartbreak struck the then-Red Bull driver in 2016.

In addition to the 2018 victory, Ricciardo has also accumulated two pole positions in Monaco, a feat that sits beyond his targets for this weekend’s outing.

“I obviously experienced those many strong years here with Red Bull and actually the year with Renault I had a good qualifying here but then obviously the McLaren qualis were not good. 

“So the highs are high and the lows are low because you know that if you qualify bad, the weekend is pretty much done and you can only be so optimistic on a track that doesn’t really allow overtaking.

“That’s why qualifying is such a powerful feeling around here and when you do the lap it’s just this like crazy, crazy feeling of ‘yeah, awesome’.” 

Daniel Ricciardo arrives in the Paddock during Media Day at the Monaco Grand Prix. Image: Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool.

Despite recording his first Q3 appearance of the season last year, Ricciardo and his teammate lost two places each at the start of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, an issue RB has been tirelessly working on over the few limited days between the opening European double-header.

“We’ve certainly…already the last few weekends, we’ve upped the emphasis on what else we can be doing with starts,” Ricciardo said.

“Making sure we’re doing everything we can, preparation, all the novel things.

“Of course you always prepare, but we’re just doing even more.”

As a result of the poor starts, Ricciardo dropped out of the points, finishing the Italian race in P13, while Yuki Tsunoda scrapped home to secure the final points position.

Having watched from the “fan’s point of view” last year, Ricciardo said the Monaco Grand Prix was the race that prompted his mission to get back on the grid.

The Australian said he was able to take notice of how connected the drivers were with their cars, namely Max Verstappen, through Sector 3. 

“I remember watching over the pitlane, because obviously if you stand up there you can see the last sector, the chicane after the swimming pool,” Ricciardo said.

“I’m going say I was there with Christian [Horner] for I don’t know if it was qualifying, maybe, the start of qualifying, and I think he even said ‘you’re missing this aren’t you?’. 

“I was like, ‘yes, I’m really jealous right now of these guys about to go out. In a way it was like ‘I feel a lot less stress than I do sitting downstairs’ but there’s such an envy where the feeling of driving around here and having that opportunity to push a car to the limit is just it’s so awesomely scary and beautiful and insane and intense.

“It’s like one of life’s greatest experiences, you know what I mean? It’s hard to match a feeling like that and really excited to get that opportunity again.”

Focusing on his on-track performance this weekend, Ricciardo said he’s visualising some “pretty high laps,” however, remains certain about taking it session-by-session.

“Firstly, there’s no reward tomorrow, so tomorrow, I’m just going in with the excitement to drive this track again — not in a casual way, but just ‘holy s**t, I’m just glad to get out here again’. 

“And then I’m sure after the few laps that I’ve done, I’ll be like ‘OK now, let’s turn it up a little bit’.

“Then you’ll start to see the confidence start to build and the possibility of maybe what’s to come on Saturday.”

“Sunday is a bit of a different discussion, we know the race is normally static, but this is an event that as a driving experience, like coming into today… sorry to sound a bit too cool for school… but arriving on the boat, coming in seeing everything here… I’ve been here many times and that feeling I haven’t got sick of. 

“This excitement talking about driving tomorrow, butterflies in my tummy. 

“Only Monaco really produces that.”

The opening practice session of the Monaco Grand Prix kicks off at 9:30 PM, AEST.

2024 Monaco Grand Prix Schedule:

Friday, May 24th:

FP1: 21:30 – 22:30

Saturday, May 25th:

FP2: 01:00 – 02:00

FP3: 20:30 – 21:30

Sunday, May 26th:

Qualifying: 00:00 – 01:00

Race: 23:00

Image: Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images // Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool

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