THE ROAD AHEAD
Let’s finish what we started.” Daniel Ricciardo calmly pressed his team, determined, hungry. It’s September’s Tuscan GP at Mugello Circuit and for the entire race, the Perth-born Formula 1 racer had been driving flawlessly. 2020’s disruptions had meant several new tracks were added to the calendar, some of which had never hosted a Grand Prix before – this circuit included. Among all the action – including two spectacular multi-car crashes within minutes, a pair of red flags, total restarts and only 12 out of 20 cars left in the race – was Ricciardo, the sport’s smiling assassin and one of only four Australians ever to win a race in Formula 1. In third position, Ricciardo had been pulling all his signature tricks out of the bag: swift, aggressive decisions; overtaking manoeuvres with effortless panache. He was primed for his first podium with Renault since he joined the team in 2019.
2020 had seen some chaotic races, but the Tuscan GP was one of the most intense in recent history. As Ricciardo tells it, “I drove the absolute wheels off the thing!” For everyone watching, it was a burning reminder that the 31-year-old is undoubtedly one of the finest drivers in Formula 1 today. Despite all his efforts, his Renault didn’t have enough guts against Alex Albon’s Red Bull, and after putting up a fight with just eight laps to go, Ricciardo crossed the line in fourth. The race was a
