Daniel Ricciardo simply can’t beat teammate Lando Norris, now we all know why he’s struggled a lot on race day since becoming a member of McLaren.
Daniel Ricciardo was completely happy to bounce again on the Portuguese Grand Prix after a horror run in qualifying however knew there have been points he and McLaren should tackle.
The Aussie F1 star was knocked out in Q1 as qualifying was a catastrophe, however was in a position to transfer up from sixteenth on the grid to complete ninth in the primary occasion and stroll away with some factors.
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Publish-race Ricciardo spoke on the whole phrases about what was going improper, having completed behind teammate Lando Norris for the third successive time this season. Whereas the younger Brit completed on the rostrum in Italy and got here fourth in Bahrain and Portugal, Ricciardo solely managed to cross the road seventh and sixth within the first two races of the 12 months.
Teething issues had been to be anticipated with a brand new workforce after leaving Renault on the finish of 2020, and Ricciardo spoke on the weekend concerning the difficulties he was dealing with in his new automotive and the necessity to tweak some issues with its set-up.
Now he has gone into specifics about what’s holding him again, revealing the braking system is placing him on edge.
“To be sincere, simply locking — locking brakes,” Ricciardo informed Motorsport Journal concerning the greatest downside he’s dealing with. “Properly, it’s a little bit of locking and typically it’s dropping the rear (of the automotive).
“However there’s a fantastic line, I suppose. And I believe in all probability there’s a interval within the form of entry section (into corners) the place the automotive is on a knife-edge.
“And I really feel like there’s in all probability a set-up resolution the place I can simply open that and never be on such a knife’s edge, as a result of it’s actually delicate.
“I believe Lando is actually in a position to drive round that higher than me in the meanwhile. And possibly to quick monitor my studying, I can simply attempt one thing with set-up that opens our window, and it’s in all probability with the suspension or one thing like that.”
McLaren to take suggestions on board
Ricciardo remains to be studying and a few key takeaways from Portimao will enable him to return to his workforce and clarify what’s going improper, and what could be executed to repair it.
McLaren gained’t take his suggestions personally, understanding it’s a matter of trial and error to get someplace with the automotive that may make the Honey Badger comfy.
“The workforce additionally handled it effectively, they recognize that, let’s say, the automotive is just not in all probability doing every part I would like it to do,” Ricciardo mentioned. “In order that they form of put their hand up as effectively.
“Positively after Bahrain and Imola, I had a transparent path for the workforce so far as updates and suggestions to aero, like ‘OK, that is the place we have to enhance the automotive trying ahead’. However I nonetheless wasn’t certain what I would like presently within the automotive after which how I wish to arrange the automotive.
“We’re form of not making an attempt to go too distant from Lando, as a result of clearly he’s on prime of it and driving effectively. However I believe as we speak I discovered just a few issues that perhaps I can begin to, let’s say set it as much as go well with me and see how that goes in Barcelona.”
McLaren is completely happy to provide Ricciardo time to regulate, placing religion in his long-term capability to assist the workforce change into a real championship contender.
Group Principal Andreas Seidl informed Motorsport Journal: “It’s one thing which simply doesn’t enable him to repeatedly push the automotive on the restrict, as a result of for him in sure dynamic circumstances it’s like driving on a knife’s edge.
“However that’s undoubtedly one thing the place I believe we made already steps for this weekend, along with him, regardless of the frustration in qualifying.
“And we merely need to preserve working along with him with the intention to enhance this case.
“As all the time, there’s the motive force’s aspect, however clearly we additionally look deeply on the workforce aspect into this, and see how we can assist him with enhancements we convey to the automotive, with set-up modifications, with the intention to elevate the efficiency.”