Daniel Ricciardo admits he will “answer calls” from other teams for 2021, but insists he remains committed to succeeding at Renault.
The Australian’s initial two-year contract expires at the French manufacturer at the end of this season and already there has been rumours linking him to Ferrari and even McLaren.
A disappointing first year with Renault in 2019 has also raised the prospect of Ricciardo seeking a better alternative but the 30-year-old insists he won’t leave for just anything.
“I will answer calls for sure, but most importantly I want this to work,” he said in Barcelona on Wednesday.
“I don’t want it to feel like I’ve just come to Renault, just got away from Red Bull, and then I’m looking for the next best thing.
“I really want to make this happen and make it work.
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“Obviously the step to that is getting more out of this year than we did last year, and hopefully getting enough out of it that the journey continues beyond my two-year contract, that’s the ideal scenario,” Ricciardo stated.
“To talk about other what-ifs and future here and there, it’s still too early and you don’t want to rock the boat obviously as well.
“But we haven’t even started this year and I can’t think about it yet.”
At the same time, the seven-time F1 race winner admits he is keen to once again enjoy his favourite unique beverage.
“Success looks like a sweaty shoe filled with champagne, that is what success looks like to me and I miss it,” he acknowledged.
“When I used to do it, I was like ‘This is terrible, what am I doing’ but I really miss it, it’s a love/hate relationship with my boot that would certainly make things good.”
Despite having a “good first impression” of the new Renault during testing, however, Ricciardo isn’t sure if the ‘shoey’ will make a comeback anytime soon.
“Obviously I’d love to get a podium and finish as high as possible, but there’s nothing like ‘If I’m not in the top five, I’m getting out of here’. It’s nothing like that. You’re going to see things in the team, the morale and spirit,” he explained.
“Just like Mercedes, how much they’re willing to innovate and push themselves and be bold, not to be laughed at. It’s these little things but right now I’m seeing good signs.”