DANIEL RICCIARDO’S SUMMER BREAK WILL BE MUCH DIFFERENT TO THE OTHER DRIVERS

We’re officially halfway through the season, which means teams get a well-earned three weeks off before returning to the track in Zandvoort. As you can imagine, this break hasn’t exactly come at a good time for a driver making his F1 comeback. But for Daniel Ricciardo, his summer break will look a little different to those of the others.

F1 teams are forced to stand down for 14 days as part of the sporting regulations across July and August. Teams can choose when to take that time off, but once it starts it’s a complete shutdown.

No one is allowed to work on the car or its development, so most drivers and team personnel will take this time to relax. But not Daniel Ricciardo.

He told the media, including The Race, that despite only having two races before the summer break, they were actually essential.

“When I got the call-up in my head, I was like ‘OK, I thought we’d probably just wait for the summer break’.

“But I’m actually really glad I got these two before the break because it gives me something to certainly think about, build on, throw some questions back to the team.

“I feel like we’re going to get to Zandvoort being much better prepared than if Zandvoort was my first race.

“It springboards us a bit better into the second half of the season, and I think personally, I know where my fitness is at, so I can work during the summer break whilst everyone is sipping pina coladas or ‘penis enlargers’, whatever you want to call them, I’ll be in the gym.” Um, alright 

Comparing his summer break to his fellow drivers, he says: “They will be doing much more partying than me, especially Pierre Gasly after his podium yesterday [in the Sprint race], but I’ll be a bit more in the gym and much less alcohol than I’m sure everyone else.”