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McLaren team principal Zak Brown is confident in Daniel Ricciardo's abilities ahead of the 2022 season. Brown praised the Australian for being the perfect team-mate for Lando Norris.
Ricciardo had an underwhelming debut season at McLaren, failing to finish within points on multiple occasions despite having competent machinery. The Australian finished eighth in the drivers' standings at the end of the year, losing out to teammate Lando Norris, who had several stellar performances. The former Red Bull driver, however, won the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, proving that he still has the skills to outclass his opponents.
Brown spoke about Daniel Ricciardo's adjustment period, claiming the driver is likely to get faster as he spends time with his new team. He said:
“I think looking back, he also needed some time at Renault to get up to speed. I think when you have to go up against Norris, who is as fast as the best drivers in Formula 1, you know you have to push yourself to the limit.”
The 50-year-old also claimed that the Australian driver had found pace towards the end of the season. He said:
“We saw another Ricciardo in the second half of the year. Then he had the speed and a lot more confidence in the car. We saw in Monza what he is capable of and that was a huge achievement.”
Daniel Ricciardo didn't mind losing out to Lando Norris in 2021
Daniel Ricciardo claims he doesn't feel bad about being routinely out-performed by his younger teammate Lando Norris. The 32-year-old admits he'd be "a lot sadder" had Norris beaten him in the latter's rookie year.
The Australian driver has almost a decade of racing experience over his British team-mate. In 2021, however, that experience didn't seem to count as Norris out-performed the Aussie on almost every occasion. Ricciardo claims the Briton is more experienced than he is when it comes to the team, allowing him to work more closely with the mechanics than the former Red Bull driver. Ricciardo said:
“I certainly acknowledge I’ve been in the sport a lot longer, but he is the guy in this team that knows the team. Even like giving feedback, he’ll relate to things. So, I was quickly aware — forget the years in the sport — this is the more experienced guy, even with just the way he interacts with engineers and that, he knows the guys. So, I need to listen to what he’s saying and try to understand what’s what with the car.”
Daniel Ricciardo and his team are hopeful that the 2022 regulation changes will suit the Australian's aggressive style of driving, leading to more potential race wins in the new year.
