McLaren's Daniel Ricciardo has revealed he never thought he'd thrown away his chances of ever winning again after leaving Red Bull for Renault at the end of 2018. Ricciardo ended his own personal drought last time out at Monza, more than three years on from taking victory at the 2018 Monaco Grand Prix. Asked whether he thought he'd never win again, given how badly the start of 2021 had gone for him, Ricciardo said he never lost faith in himself. "I didn't really think like that, even through the struggles this year, or over the last couple of years at times. I never really got into the mindset of, 'Is this it? Was Monaco the last time I'll get there?'" Ricciardo told media, including RacingNews365.com . "I knew I'd probably have to work a little bit harder for it at times. But no, last year, for example, getting Renault back on the podium, that was such a target. So achieving that, I took a lot of fulfillment, [and] so did the team. "Monza was, if you like... it did kind of make everything worth it, I guess. But it was just nice to stand back up there. "I think also to do it with another team. There's certainly a sense of like pride in that, making it work and getting to that top step with another outfit and none other than McLaren. There's certainly some feel-good stuff about it. "It's just I like winning, so winning's good. It was good to do it again!" With Ricciardo's victory being the 'feel-good' victory of the season so far, closing off the redemption arc for a winner who has come through a slump in form, the Australian said he took a lot of pleasure from seeing the positive support around the world for his win. "That stuff definitely makes me feel good, that makes me happy knowing I've had, or can have, a positive impact in so many people patting me on the back and that... it's a bonus," he commented. "Obviously, I got into this sport because I wanted to be the best and I wanted to show what I could do, but to have like an effect as well. At one point I was thinking, 'Stop posting about me, because everyone's gonna get sick of me!' "But again, [it's] very flattering, and just a nice, nice feeling to have!"
Most read
