On the eve of his return to active duty in F1, Daniel Ricciardo says he is "in the moment" with AlphaTauri and insists there is "no point" for now in thinking about a return to Red Bull Racing.
Following Nyck de Vries' disappointing results with AlphaTauri, Red Bull has opted to release the Dutchman and draft in Ricciardo for the remainder of the 2023 season.
While accepting a back-up role with Red Bull after his exit from McLaren at the end of last season, Ricciardo made clear from the outset that he would only return to the grid with a front-running outfit.
In Hungary on Thursday, the Aussie explained why he felt inclined to downgrade his aspirations by returning to the fray with the slowest team on the grid.
"A couple of things," he said. "I had enough time off to reset and kind of enjoy it again - I already felt that on the simulator this year.
"But that is why I also wanted to drive and really make sure it is still truly what I love doing most.
"I was up to speed really quick, it felt so good again and tasting the Red Bull car got me pretty excited.
"I knew, with everything that happened the last few years and getting back into the sport, taking some time off, I knew it would be very hard to go back into the top," he added.
"That was my wish, but I think also, you need to be realistic at some point and say 'if I want to get back to a Red Bull seat, it is going to take a process and a path'. This for me is the best path at the moment.
"And also six months ago I wasn't in a place to jump at an opportunity like this, but that has been the luxury of time where I have fallen in love with it again and been myself again, back in an environment that gives me a lot of nostalgia."
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Slowly but surely, realizing that Formula 1 remained his calling, Ricciardo felt a renewed sense of belonging with Red Bull.
"I spent a lot of my career here, a lot of my journey and junior days were here," he said.
"Talking to Helmut again more recently, it kind of feels like it is where I belong, so when the opportunity came, I thought 'absolutely, let's try it'."
Christian Horner has suggested that Ricciardo is "pitching" for a seat at Red Bull Racing in 2025.
While that is indeed the Aussie's end game, he is keeping that thought out of his mind right now as he focuses on making the most of his opportunity with AlphaTauri.
"That's the dream, so to speak, but there is no point in me thinking about that," insisted Ricciardo.
"There's a lot of work to do here. In terms of expectation, there is none. Everything I felt driving the car last week is how I want to go racing again.
"I want to be in the moment, enjoying it, not thinking too far ahead.
"I have been following and I know the car is going to have limitations, but I have got to do my best with what I have got.
"If it is something I feel I can work with, that's all I need to feel good behind the wheel again and also use some of my experience to push the team.
"As far as this weekend goes, if you ask me where do I want to finish, I couldn't say. I just want to know I have put everything into it and have done a lap I am proud of."
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