Ricciardo readies himself for 2016

Daniel Ricciardo has packed up his off-season toys and put them in storage as the Aussie bull charges into the new season and ramps up his preparation.

It was a lackluster and frankly calamitous 2015 campaign for the Red Bull driver and one which followed his team's overall disastrous underperformance.

But Ricciardo has wiped the slate clean and although his ambitions are measured for this season, given it will likely be a transitional year for the Milton Keynes outfit, his motivation and drive remain intact.

"All of December, the aim was to pretty much just get some time off," said the smiling Ricciardo.

"I had one or two commitments here and there, like our show run in Perth in my home City as well, which was cool. But apart from that just hanging out with friends, riding bikes and just being a boy, being a kid while I can. It's good fun."

Ricciardo kick started his preparation Down Under in Perth before heading back to the northern hemisphere and the damp and cold UK climate. But that was no deterrent for 'Mr. Smiley '.

"Basically I've done a big block in Perth since the New Year to train, went up into the hills where it's a lot hotter and did some good three or four hour mountain bike rides in the hills which was awesome.

"There was a 39c day in there, so that was fun! I mixed in a bit of boxing as well as time in the gym, keeping it varied and sweating a lot to make sure to burn off that Christmas weight."

It's now full steam ahead with no respite until the rubber hits the track at Melbourne.

"Yep, now back in Europe and stepping up the preparations for the new year. The first few weeks will mostly be a lot of photoshoots and marketing days and just getting things in line.

"But obviously, it's still a very key period for us in terms of training, so if we're not doing media stuff, you'll usually find us training and getting ready for Melbourne to get lean and mean for mid-March."

Scene at the Pirelli wet tyre test