Ricciardo's hilarious Arnold Schwarzenegger self-appraisal

New Renault racer Daniel Ricciardo may not have the car to compete for a win at this Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix, but he’s confident that he’s in peak fitness to muscle his way to a top result.

2019 saw Ricciardo not only move to a new F1 team, but also a new pre-season training regime with the Australian doing most of his race preparation on home soil, to maximise his summer before returning to Europe.

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And it’s made for a sunnier, more relaxed Ricciardo, even more so than usual.

“I would compare myself to Arnold Schwarzenegger from the early 1990s. “[A] Similar physique, and similar work ethic, without the juicing,” he says laughing, tongue firmly in cheek.

“I did most of my pre-season stuff in Australia, just for the weather. Obviously you’ve got a lot more flexibility when the sun is out.

“We can also be a little bit heavier this year, so while I haven’t intentionally put on weight, we didn’t shy away from doing more strength training.”

Ricciardo also focused on a more intelligent pre-season program, ensuring he arrived in Melbourne with plenty of energy.

“I was kind of burning myself out a bit too early [in past years],” said Ricciardo.

“So I think I’ve been a bit smarter with it. On the good days, I pushed myself, but I’ve also taken time to rest and let my body recover.”

Ricciardo is one of the fittest on the F1 grid – and known to put himself under maximum pressure to deliver.

Singapore last year was a prime example. While fans dreamed about attending F1’s original night race and seeing Martin Garrix, The Killers, and Dua Lipa live on-stage, Ricciardo shunned social media and left no stone unturned in his pre-race preparation.

Going ‘off the grid’, he sweated up a storm – in the gym for nine straight days in seven layers of clothing, with the heat maxed out in a bid to “get comfortable in the uncomfortable”.

“I had nine days pretty much of no distraction since (the Italian Grand Prix at) Monza and it was time for me to put everything into it,” Ricciardo said.

“It was really just eat, sleep, and train – and that was it. A lot of heat training. It’s the hottest race of the year, the longest race of the year and it’s the toughest one as well.”

By Stewart Bell