Ricciardo finished 13th at the F1 Hungarian Grand Prix, an encouraging firs꧙t race for AlphaTauri since returning to the grid mid-season.

Afterwards he ⭕explained how speaking to a fellow veteran with experience of leaving F🌺1 helped him on his pathway.

• How good was Dani♔el 💃Ricciardo's F1 comeback in Hungary?

“Just having this half-year off, even if it wasn’t the year I expected off, half a year still gave me a kin🔯d of reset,” Ricciardo said. "I feel energised again. 

“Actually I remember having a conv꧙ersation with Alonso, maybe two years ago now. 

“ I wasn't thinking of taking a break. We were 𓄧just having a chat, I think on a flight somewhere.

“He said the break for him was🐻 one of the best things 𒈔he ever did.”

Two-time F1 champion Al♔o𓃲nso stepped away from the sport for three seasons before making a comeback with Alpine in 2021. 

“That got me thinking that if I ever♏ feel I need it, don’🍒t be so scared of it,” Ricciardo said. 

“Then I think seeing the year he’s had filled me with some🌄 confidence. 

“Really glad to have been put in th༒is position and come back feeling everything normal agaღin. 

“The grid, the start, th💯e adrenaline, the emotion... enjoyed it all.   

“For sure there are nerves, 🐼excitement, there’s a lot of these things.

“But sometimes we probably forget t𝔉o remind ourselves to take it in and smil✅e at the moment. 

“Was really just trying to 🐎enjoy it and of course you still make sure you stay focus, but just enjoying it. The crowd was pretty cool. I heard a lot of cheers so it was fun.”

Ricciardo is back behind the wheel🐎 at thi☂s weekend’s F1 Belgian Grand Prix.