Daniel Ricciardo misses “sweaty shoe filled with champagne”

Daniel Ricciardo says that he really misses his signature celebration of a “sweaty shoe filled with champagne” upon finishing on the podium ahead of the 2020 Formula 1 season with Renault.

During his time at Red Bull Ricciardo would celebrate a race win or finish on the podium by performing a ‘shoey’, in which he would pour champagne into his race boot before drinking it.
 
It became a signature celebration but since the Australian moved to Renault last year he hasn’t had the chance to, with the last coming at his Monaco Grand Prix win in 2018.
 
Renault dropped back a position last year after finishing fifth behind McLaren in the championship, but Ricciardo still wants that success with the team and feels things will get better.
 
“Success looks like a sweaty shoe filled with champagne,” he said. “That is what success looks like to me. And I miss it. When I used to do it, I was like 'This is terrible, what am I doing'.
 
“But I really miss it, it's a love/hate relationship with my boot. That would certainly make things good. My first impressions on the car were good.
 
“I think we are going to be better but it's how much better. That's what we've got to prove to ourselves in the first few races.”
 
The Australian doesn’t have high expectations of results for the 2020 season but admits that there are “good signs” coming from the French manufacturer.
 
“It's nothing from a position point of view,” he added when asked about 2020 goals.
 
“Obviously I'd love to get a podium and finish as high as possible.
 
“But there's nothing like 'If I'm not in the top five, I'm getting out of here'. It's nothing like that. You're going to see things in the team, the morale and spirit.
 
“Just like Mercedes, how much they're willing to innovate and push themselves and be bold, not to be laughed at. It's these little things but right now I'm seeing good signs.”