Why Daniel Ricciardo’s not panicking about his slow start with McLaren

Formula One’s new champion Daniel Ricciardo said the season got off to a slow start for him and his team. But he isn’t worried.

After last weekend’s pre-season testing at Barcelona, one of the main topics of conversation was the McLaren driver’s performance. Daniel Ricciardo has been on the podium just once in the last seven races, and that was in Monaco, when he finished fourth. As the Australian looked on in a state of shock, his team-mate Fernando Alonso won for the first time since last year’s Monaco Grand Prix.

With Daniel Ricciardo’s on-again, off-again relationship with the McLaren Formula 1 team, it’s hard to know what to make of the situation. The Australian, who is in his fourth season of driving for the Woking-based outfit, is yet to make a truly impressive start to this campaign.. Read more about daniel ricciardo wife and let us know what you think.

To say Daniel Ricciardo’s debut at McLaren has been underwhelming would be an understatement.

In fact, that is an understatement. Ricciardo is one of Formula One’s greatest overtakers, having won seven races since 2014 and being regarded a championship contender awaiting the right vehicle. It was sink or swim time for his new teammate, Lando Norris, when he arrived at McLaren this year, alongside one of the most renowned in the industry.

On track, the outcomes have been the polar opposite of what most would have expected. From the outside, Ricciardo and Norris seem to be pretty average. Ricciardo is tenth in the championship after ten races, with one top-five result. Norris, on the other hand, is third, with three podium finishes and a top-five result in all but two races.

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Ricciardo’s chances have been clouded by Norris’ outstanding run. In F1, results are an important part of the narrative, but they are not the whole story. Ricciardo has not made any major errors with his new team, apart from a collision in qualifying at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. As the summer break approached, he believed he was closing the gap on Norris — a gap that was especially noticeable during qualifying, leaving Ricciardo with too much to do on race day — and that a huge victory was on the way. On Aug. 1, Ricciardo had that chance at the Hungarian Grand Prix, but he was spun around in the first corner mayhem. Ricciardo, not eventual race winner Esteban Ocon, seemed to be on his way out of Turn 1 behind Lewis Hamilton before being struck.

Ricciardo isn’t allowing his fury to get the best of him. He’s already crossed the 10-year mark since making his Formula One debut, and he believes his previous experience has helped him get through the tough start.

“Don’t get me wrong: I’m making an effort… Today, I want to be the center of attention “When questioned about his beginnings with McLaren, Ricciardo joked in a recent interview with ESPN and a few other outlets.

“However, I suppose the experience has taught me that it is unquestionably a process.” When I was younger and expected the world from everything and it didn’t happen, I would have thrown a few tantrums and possibly lost my mind.

“So, having been here for a while now, it’s sort of helped me take a breath, step back, look over everything, and realize that there’s a reason why things aren’t going so well right now. Instead of throwing my hands up and walking away, I need to discover some solutions.”

Daniel Ricciardo (R) has not made any major errors with his new team, but he is still in second place in the championship behind teammate McLaren driver Lando Norris. Getty Images/Joe Portlock

While speaking with Ricciardo, irritation was a recurrent topic — or rather, how to keep displeasure from boiling over into something more destructive. The Australian driver believes that keeping perspective on the nature of F1 has helped him avoid overthinking his present position.

“I would say it’s been more difficult than prior experiences,” he added. “I believe it is more difficult simply because it has taken longer.

“I’m sitting here today as though I’m still not there.” Or I’m not at the place I want to be. I believe it’s not always simple with experience, age, and a little wisdom, but it’s like sometimes you just need a little patience and big picture things.

“I don’t believe it should be that simple if it was ‘I anticipate it on day one.’” It shouldn’t be so simple, no matter how skilled I believe I am!

“It’s simply a matter of putting things into perspective.” And, yes, I understand; there are 20 of us doing it across the globe.

“This is clearly a very high level at which we are attempting to achieve. That’s what I’m thinking, too; clearly, I’m just trying to grow accustomed to it and not allow my irritation turn into anything bad. Obviously, dissatisfaction may occur an hour or two after a race or qualifying session. But, yes, just going on and trying to be efficient and productive, as well as keeping morale and everything else in the team moving in the correct direction.”

Ricciardo seemed to be in a good position before getting spun off during the Hungarian Grand Prix. Getty Images/Lars Baron

Ricciardo is in an ideal position to take advantage of the present trend. When McLaren struggled through Formula One with its competitive Honda engine only a few years ago, it was a cagey and uncomfortable atmosphere. The entrance of team leader Andreas Seidl, who was appointed by CEO Zak Brown, signaled a significant shift in both performance and attitude. The mood has changed dramatically.

Ricciardo said that this calm demeanor is similar to his own.

He said, “I am not the person that walks into the engineering department and throws a chair about.” “I don’t believe that will work out.

“I don’t believe it’ll help me communicate my message.” And, in order for the team to continue to support me, I must demonstrate the same confidence in them and support them as well. If I simply start shouting, cursing, and throwing my hands up, I’m thinking to myself, “OK, are they going to start interrogating me?” Is it possible that I’ve lost my mind?

“Am I simply blaming everything because I’m not paying attention anymore?” I’m not one to point fingers a lot, but I try to do it in a constructive way and maybe simply utilize my experience.

“Everything inside the squad at the moment is, I want to say, almost flawless,” he said. The only thing that isn’t there yet, or at least not regularly, are the on-track outcomes.

“But the atmosphere, morale, and everything they’re doing to help me contribute as much as I can, the debriefs, and all the homework we’re doing off the track… I honestly can’t ask for much more than what they’re doing to assist me.”

The Formula One season resumes on August 29 with the Belgian Grand Prix.

Daniel Ricciardo’s start to the season has been anything but what he or McLaren expected. The Australian looked to be on top of the world, having amassed over 200 points in his first four races, with a victory and podium in Bahrain. But three races removed from that victory, he has only three points to show for it, and a new team-mate.. Read more about max verstappen and let us know what you think.

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