'I'll Make Sure I've Locked My Room Properly': Ricciardo Jokes Ahead of Mexico City Grand Prix

Saturday, 28 October 2023 at 01:00

AlphaTauri driver Daniel Ricciardo described feeling short of breath in high altitudes ahead of the 2023 Mexico City Grand Prix.

Mexico City Grand Prix takes place at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, and it is the highest-placed race in the whole 2023 F1 calendar. Being placed in high altitudes may result in a short-of-breath feeling for some drivers.

Daniel Ricciardo, who has raced at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez before, told media at a Thursday press conference he does not feel different in the car compared to other circuits.

"In the car, it doesn't feel that different, maybe it is because we are sitting and maybe the muscles we use don't really spike the heart rate too much."

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Some of the most "physical" circuits of the F1 calendar include the Marina Bay Street Circuit in Singapore and the Lusail International Circuit in Qatar. While Ricciardo would not describe the race in Mexico as physical, he says he feels short of breath when he sleeps.

"I don't know what it is, but I remember the races here not being that much more physical, but I definitely feel it when I sleep."

The Honey Badger described the feeling for people who have never felt it before. He compared it to having a pillow put on his face and joked he would make sure to lock his room.

"Whenever I wake up in the morning, I just feel a little bit short of breath, as if someone has put a pillow over your face, so I'll make sure I've locked my room properly."

The Australian driver would prefer to be able to come three weeks ahead of schedule to adjust to high altitude, but as he says, drivers have to "suck it up."

"It's just a little bit less sleep than in the gym, like if we get on the treadmill or anything like that, you feel it. We don't have the luxury of coming out here three weeks in advance and preparing for the altitude, so you've just got to suck it up."