Ricciardo returns to Zandvoort: 'Feel the way I want to feel'

"I spent most of the past few weeks training and enjoying the chance to keep building up my fitness, to be all set to attack the second half of the season. I’ve really enjoyed being back, and the two races with the team have been awesome. Now, I’m very hungry and motivated and feel the way I want to feel. That’s why I’m looking forward to kicking off in Zandvoort, which is a very fast track with an awesome atmosphere," Ricciardo said.

Teammate Yuki Tsunoda made it to Q3 at Zandvoort last year and hopes to repeat that. In any case, the Japanese is enjoying driving on the circuit in the dunes. "I’ve never finished, so that's something I want to put right this weekend. I like the track because it’s technical with some unique features, such as the steeply banked corners and the mix of slow and fast turns. It’s physically quite demanding."

Tsunoda himself has spent the necessary time in the simulator over the past week. He hopes the AT04 will be competitive in the Netherlands. "I’m not sure how we will perform here because even if Spa went well, much of that was down to the specific nature of the track and even the weather, while Zandvoort is very different – a medium- to high-downforce circuit."