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McLaren Racing boss Zak Brown, who has the original number three
Wrangler-liveried coupe in his collection, promised Ricciardo
back in March a test in the car if he stood on the podium this
season.
"I’m like, maybe he gives me the car?," the Australian, who also
races with the number three on his McLaren, said hopefully after
a one-two finish with team mate Lando Norris at Monza on Sunday.
"It was always 'a podium, I get to drive it'. We never talked
about a win.
"I gave him my shoe that he drank out of, so maybe he gives me
the car. It’s a good trade."
Ricciardo's win was McLaren's first since Jenson Button in
Brazil in November 2012, a wait of 3,213 days.
It was also their first one-two since 2010.
For the second most successful team in the history of Formula
One, second only to Ferrari, who have been around since the very
beginning in 1950, in terms of wins and total championships,
Sunday was both a beginning and an end.
The end of a long agony of constantly being reminded of their
absence from the top step of the podium, a drought matched by
that of former champions Williams, but also the start of a
return to winning ways.
Ricciardo, who had not won since he was at Red Bull in 2018 and
has had a tough time getting to grips with the car since leaving
Renault at the end of last year, eloquently summed up what it
meant to him.
"There’s like a couple of things today, like two heroes," he
said.
"Dale Earnhardt, big hero of mine, and to have a chance to get
behind the wheel of one of his cars is crazy. That will
certainly be a 'pinch me' moment.
"The other one ... I’m sorry if I sound a bit self-absorbed now,
but when I think of McLaren I think of (the late triple champion
Ayrton) Senna.
"That’s the early memories and I’ve seen the trophies in the
cabinet at the MTC (factory) and to have a winning trophy now
with my name in pretty much the same cabinet is crazy."
Brown, up on the podium with his drivers to celebrate and swig
champagne with surprising gusto from Ricciardo's sweaty boot,
enjoyed the moment.
The American was also mindful of there being a long road ahead
for McLaren to get back to where they really want to be.
"One win, and last weekend wasn't very good," said the American.
"So I think we've got to keep our feet on the ground. One win at
a time."
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Peter
Rutherford)
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