They say that the company you keep shapes your habits. The same is true in Daniel Ricciardo‘s case, but not in a good way. During his stint at McLaren, Ricciardo grappled with not one but two cars that he just could not gel with. Rather than developing a car of Ricciardo’s preference, McLaren attempted to change his driving style. But it turned out to be counterproductive and further hindered his performance. So after a hugely disappointing two-year spell with McLaren, Ricciardo rejoined Red Bull.

Ricciardo returned to Red Bull after four years, but not as the driver he was when he left. He came back from McLaren with poor driving technique and bruised confidence. It became clear when he was put back on the Red Bull stimulator, which one person in Red Bull described as “a f*****g disaster”. 

When asked how much rebuilding Red Bull had to do with Ricciardo after his time at McLaren, team principal Christian Horner responded, as quoted by The Race: “I think the problem is when you drive a car that obviously has its limitations, you adapt and you try and adjust to extract the maximum out of that car.”

“And it was clear when he came back, that he picked up some habits that were not… that we didn’t recognise as the Daniel that had left us years earlier.”

READ MORE: “Was a Beast”: Daniel Ricciardo Termed Lost After McLaren Misery as Christian Horner’s Judgment Deemed True

But the good news is Ricciardo is slowly getting back to his driving style from the ‘McLaren way of driving’. Will he soon get his race seat back too?

From Third Driver to Race Seat: Daniel Ricciardo’s Hope for a Formula One Comeback

As much as Ricciardo returned to Red Bull with a desire to get a race seat again, it is unlikely that he will displace either Max Verstappen or Sergio Perez anytime soon. Because in his current form, he is no match to their pace. So, his top priority should be finding a path to re-establish himself as the driver everybody knew him to be before joining McLaren. And he’s already on the path to do just that.

The Australian has been working hard for both reserve and testing duties. And his work is being recognized, while also increasing his chances to eventually return to the F1 grid. “[He’s] sitting in all the briefings, he’s been working hard on the simulator as well, doing some race support and some development work on that.” Horner said . 

He also stated that he thinks Daniel Ricciardo is completely race-ready, should Verstappen or Perez have to miss a race weekend this year. “I’d say he’s about 10 minutes away from being ready!” Horner joked. “He’s in good shape; he’s kept himself fit and well. I think that he’s training hard and he’s ready to go given the chance.”

If Ricciardo continues to work hard in his role as Red Bull’s third driver, he might open the door to Red Bull sooner than later. But for now, he needs to lower his expectations and continue to recharge, rebuild, and reassess.

WATCH THIS STORY: “Will Daniel Ricciardo Get Swapped in for Sergio Perez at Red Bull?”

What are the chances that the eight-time race winner will return to the grid? Let us know in the comments below.