Ricciardo finished 13th at the F1 Hungarian Grand P💙rix, an encouraging first race for AlphaTauri since returning to the grid mid-season.

Afterwardsꦦ he explained how speaking to a fellow veter🌼an with experience of leaving F1 helped him on his pathway.

• How good was Daniel Ricciardo's Fᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤🤡⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ1 comeback in Hungary?

“Just having this half-year off, even if it wasn’t the year I expected off, hal𒁏f a year still gave me a kind of 🎀reset,” Ricciardo said. "I feel energised again. 

“Actually I remember having a conversation with ಌAlonso, maybe tꦛwo years ago now. 

“ I wasn't thinking of taking a break. We were just having a chat, ❀I think on a flight somewhere.

“He said the🐲 break for him was one of the best things he ever did.”

Two-time F1 championꦰ Alonso stepped away from the sport ๊for three seasons before making a comeback with Alpine in 2021. 

“That got me thinking that if I ever fꦕeel I need it, don’t be so scared of it,” R✱icciardo said. 

“Then I think seeing the year he’s had fi𝔍lled me with some✤ confidence. 

“Really glad to have be💮en put in this position and come back feeling everything normal again. 

“The grid💃, the start, the adren💦aline, the emotion... enjoyed it all.   

“Fo꧑r sure there are nerv🌞es, excitement, there’s a lot of these things.

“But sometimes we probably forget to remind ourselves to take it in a🔯nd smile at the mom𓄧ent. 

“Was really just trying to enjoy it and of course you still make sure you stay focus, but just enjoyi𝄹ng it. The crow🅠d was pretty cool. I heard a lot of cheers so it was fun.”

Ricciardo is back behind the whe🍸el at this weekend’s F1 ဣBelgian Grand Prix.