F1 star's answer to looming Ricciardo threat

1 year ago 79

Sergio Perez says he's "pretty relaxed" contempt the existent menace Daniel Ricciardo poses successful the Red Bull reserve ranks.

Ricciardo and McLaren mutually parted ways astatine the decision of the 2022 season, leaving the Australian without a Formula 1 thrust for 2023.

The Perth-born aviator had options to contention for Haas and Williams but has alternatively acceptable his sights acceptable connected a instrumentality successful 2024 with a much competitory team.

Red Bull signed Ricciardo disconnected the backmost of the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, a relation that volition spot him "assist the squad with investigating and sim work, arsenic good arsenic commercialized activity."

Perez, who astatine 32-years-old is conscionable 1 twelvemonth younger than Ricciardo, said the Australian's signing has small successful the mode of ramifications for him.

"I'm beauteous relaxed," the Mexican told Sky Sports F1.

"We unrecorded nether a batch of unit each the time. It doesn't alteration thing from my side.

"I deliberation it's a large accomplishment for the squad to person a operator similar Daniel. He's going to lend a batch to our team.

"He's a large guy, he's 1 of the guys I get connected with the astir successful the paddock. It's conscionable large to person Daniel successful the squad and from my side, it doesn't alteration anything.

"Daniel and myself, we started our careers astatine a akin time. We've known each different for a agelong clip and surely get connected with him."

Featuring connected the In The Fast Lane podcast, Ricciardo admitted helium is hoping to replicate the likes of Fernando Alonso and Nico Hulkenberg earlier him.

Alonso near Formula 1 astatine the extremity of 2018 to vie successful the FIA World Endurance Championship and successful IndyCar to effort and implicit the triple crown.

The Spaniard has truthful acold been unsuccessful successful winning the Indianapolis 500 to implicit the accomplishment alongside his Monaco Grand Prix and 24 Hours of Le Mans wins.

Alonso returned to Formula 1 with Alpine successful 2021 portion Hulkenberg is acceptable to contention for Haas successful 2023 successful spot of Mick Schumacher.

Hulkenberg's aboriginal teammate Kevin Magnussen spent 4 years with Haas earlier helium was dropped. Nikita Mazepin's axing from the squad opened the doorway for a instrumentality this year.

Long-time Mercedes protege Esteban Ocon raced for Force India and Racing Point (now Aston Martin) earlier taking a twelvemonth disconnected to past articulation Renault successful 2020.

Alex Albon took a akin trajectory having been portion of the Red Bull fold for respective years earlier being dropped. He returned successful 2022 to contention for Williams.

"I cognize myself evidently amended than anybody knows me," said Ricciardo.

"I cognize what I request oregon what I consciousness volition assistance me. I person assurance successful taking the twelvemonth disconnected due to the fact that I cognize what it'll bash for me.

"Of course, erstwhile you spot different examples and beauteous bully examples successful who you notation – Alonso, Magnussen for illustration – that's benignant of reassuring. We're each wired otherwise and a twelvemonth disconnected could person a antithetic effect connected each of us.

"I look astatine Alonso for example, idiosyncratic who loves racing each the time. Him having the clip off, I consciousness similar for maine to truly removed myself possibly a spot much than what helium would person done volition beryllium adjacent much almighty for maine personally.

"That benignant of worldly encourages me. It's the icing connected the barroom successful presumption of maine feeling similar I've done the close thing."

Ricciardo said his quality arsenic a competitory idiosyncratic volition nary alteration with a twelvemonth disconnected and that he'll find different ways to "get my highs from" successful 2023.

"It'll springiness maine that hard reply – what I genuinely want," helium added.

"I could ticker circular 1 and I'll beryllium similar 'I don't privation to beryllium retired this full year' and that volition conscionable physique into thing truly affirmative for maine of the people of 2023 and past if an accidental arises successful '24 I'll conscionable beryllium foaming astatine the mouth."

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