Ricciardo insists qualifying coup 'irrelevant'

Daniel Ricciardo has insisted his qualifying result for the Hungarian Grand Prix is "irrelevant" as he gets back up to speed as an F1 driver.

The Australian stepped away from a full-time race seat at the end of last season to join Red Bull as third driver, though the decision to oust Nyck de Vries has seen him land back at AlphaTauri for the remainder of the campaign.

Ricciardo made an instant impression at the Hungaroring by taking 13th on the grid, out-qualifying new teammate Yuki Tsunoda.

"I had no idea where to expect to be on the grid, so 13th seems somewhat irrelevant,"

"My reference is Yuki for now and he is, watching from the outside, a good reference because not only this year, but the second half of last year with Pierre, he was a lot more competitive.

"So whether I am ahead or behind, just to be there is positive for me.

"I felt pretty comfortable. I was a bit off the pace [on Friday] but I knew where that was missing so I felt quite confident in the car, but all of us can get to 95 per cent at this level... it is then that last five per cent.

"I found a bit in quali, but as always there's a little bit more."

Hill to climb

"Coming into the weekend, I knew there would be a hill to climb," added the eight-time race winner.

"I was trying not to get caught up in how I go, but of course, as a race car driver, I am always going to expect something out of myself.

"Truthfully, I was trying to remove as much of that as I could and make sure this is the place that makes me feel like myself again.

"Jumping in the car in qualifying, I felt really relaxed and... not to take it lightly but happy to be back and be able to push a car on the limit.

"This is something I didn't always have in the last year or two, that's why I think the time off was needed for me."