Daniel Ricciardo is itching to score big results early in what is going to be a shortened 2020 Formula 1 season.
Currently, only eight races have been officially confirmed, but 15 is the minimum being targeted by F1 bosses and a new schedule expected to be revealed on Thursday.
Still, with uncertainty about how the coronavirus pandemic will evolve when the summer ends, the reality is there’s no guarantee as to how many Grands Prix will take place.
So ahead of the first one this weekend in Austria, Ricciardo knows every moment counts.
“I’m raring to go! It’s been a long time since I’ve raced or even competed properly in anything,” the Renault driver declared in his race preview.
“It’s getting close now and I had a good taste for it with the test in Austria earlier this month. It’s about getting back to business. We’re all so excited to go racing again.
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“We’ll get on with it and give it our all as we know the season is going to be shorter than usual and very fast-paced. We want to get some points on the board, begin the season on the right foot and lay a solid foundation for us to build some good momentum.”
That’s not going to be easy though in a part of the grid where Ricciardo believes a tenth of a second covers multiple teams, including Renault.
But what it does mean is every opportunity that does present itself must be capitalised on.
“The midfield stuff, Racing Point, McLaren and all the other teams in there, it’s going to be tight,” the Aussie told Sky Sports.
“We’re going to be somewhere there, but it’s really a bit of a flip of a coin at this moment in time as to who is going to come out on top.
“I think as well, [for] us in the midfield, there’s a bit less to lose as far as risk and reward.
“I think we will take chances and hopefully come off with a few big results, whether it’s eight races, 12, 15 – who knows how many we will get.”
