Daniel Ricciardo to unleash 'hidden honey badger' in 2017 Formula One season
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Daniel Ricciardo is ready to "unlock the hidden Honey Badger" when he starts training for next season's new-look Formula One.
The Australian finished third overall behind recently retired Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton this year and said in a column for Red Bull he was looking forward to a harder off-season workout.
The 2017 regulations, with wider tyres and revised aerodynamics, should make the cars faster through the corners and harder to handle, which puts more of a premium on driver strength.
"We'll have to change some things up in the preparation and the in-season training will change too," Ricciardo said.
"In the past few years we've concentrated on things like trimming weight and keeping kilos off, and the training itself isn't that challenging. Next year will be different.
"Being able to put on some strength and muscle will be more challenging and more rewarding, so I'm up for that. I'm all for making it harder.
"Time to unlock the hidden Honey Badger."
The animal, known for its tenacity, is emblazoned on the back of Ricciardo's racing helmet.
Ricciardo calls 2016 the best year of his career
Ricciardo won in Malaysia in October and started on pole in Monaco after shedding more than three kilograms before the 2016 season in a bid to improve performance.
Former champions Red Bull were handicapped in 2015 by their uncompetitive Renault engine and sought other ways of closing the gap, one of them being reducing weight where possible.
Ricciardo's 2016 podium finishes
- May 29: Second at Monaco GP
- July 24: Third at Hungarian GP
- July 31: Second at German GP
- Aug 28: Second at Belgian GP
- Sept 18: Second at Singapore GP
- Oct 2: First at Malaysian GP
- Oct 23: Third at United States GP
- Oct 30: Third at Mexico GP
Ricciardo said third place in 2016 felt more convincing and more sustainable than it had in 2014 and labelled it his "best year yet".
"This year I felt like I did everything I did in 2014, but at a higher level when I really pushed myself," said Ricciardo, who had 19-year-old Dutch team mate Max Verstappen pushing him hard from May onwards.
"I was able to find some pretty good levels through the year, and there were quite a few times that I was able to exceed my own expectations for what I thought I could do, maybe even surprise myself a bit."
In addition to brilliant racing, Ricciardo became known in 2016 for his shoeys and assured everyone retiring champion Rosberg was made to partake during his celebrations.
"I made sure he had some tequila on Sunday night — and out of his own shoe this time, not mine!" he said.
He also hailed the German for figuring out the mental side of racing and keeping "a cool head" once he was out in front.
But now that the post-season partying is sorted, Ricciardo said he was looking to get home and relax once his team commitments were over.
"It's little things that I get to experience again in the off-season that make me realise why I love being home when I can be. My mates treating me like an idiot, basically," he said.
Reuters/ABC
Topics: formula-1, motor-sports, sport, australia
