‘I have to be prepared for this being it’ – Emotional Ricciardo ‘at peace’ if Singapore turns out to be final Grand Prix

“I do really feel, let’s say, at peace with it,” added Ricciardo, who got here again to F1 with RB halfway by means of 2023 after being dropped by McLaren. “Sooner or later, it’ll come for all of us… I believe additionally, I attempted to get again into Purple Bull, it didn’t work out, so then I additionally must say, ‘Okay, what else am I finally doing right here and attempting to realize?’… Let’s say possibly the fairytale ending didn’t occur, however I additionally must look again on what it’s been. Fourteen or so years and I’m proud.

“I believe whenever you’ve skilled the highs of profitable, you may solely battle for P10 for therefore lengthy. There’s nothing like that feeling, and if that now not is feasible, and whether it is turning into just a little tougher – that’s the reality: I used to be in a position to do some moments of possibly greatness this yr, nevertheless it was trickier to do it week in, week out. Perhaps that’s [being] 35, possibly that’s the competitors’s getting higher and higher. Who is aware of?”

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After being voted Driver of the Day, in the meantime, Ricciardo was noticed taking his time getting out of the cockpit of his RB in parc ferme, the Australian showing to savour the ultimate moments with the automobile after a gruelling 62-lap race.

Requested what had been going by means of his thoughts, an emotional Ricciardo replied: “Loads of feelings, as a result of – look I’m conscious it could possibly be it, and I believe it’s additionally simply [being] exhausted after the race. So it’s like a flood of many feelings and emotions and exhaustion.

“The cockpit is one thing that I bought very used to for a few years,” added the veteran of 257 Grand Prix begins, tearing up. “I simply needed to savour the second.”