“It’s a difficult car to drive,” Lando Norris says he ‘partly’ understands Daniel Ricciardo’s struggles
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Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo
Since his move to McLaren, Daniel Ricciardo’s struggles have been well-documented and well-known on the track. The only notable highlight of his McLaren stint, as of yet, is the Monza 1-2, where Lando Norris finished behind him. Apart from that, as Zak Brown had said, the move has not really met any expectations of the two parties involved.
Let’s look at it this way: In 2020, Renault finished 5th in the championship, and Ricciardo scored 119 points finishing 5th, in a season with only 17 races. In 2021, with a season of 22 races, where McLaren finished 4th, Ricciardo scored 115 points, less than his total in 2020 with 5 more races, and an arguably better car.
There are, of course, a variety of other factors in play. The most apparent of these is that the car has not really suited Daniel Ricciardo’s driving style, and he has struggled to adapt. But how long can one wait for a driver to adapt to the car? While McLaren are sticking with Ricciardo for 2023, his future beyond that is hazy.
When asked for his thoughts on Ricciardo’s struggles, as quoted on Formula 1’s official website, Lando Norris responded: “I understand certain parts of it; the rest of it’s at the same time, I just focus on myself and that’s all, you know. As much as I’m willing to help and offer advice and answer questions, it’s not like I go out there only to try and do that.
Lando Norris: I have also had to adapt to the car
Despite partly understanding the reasons for Daniel Ricciardo’s struggles, Lando Norris is obviously focusing on himself more: “I still have to focus on my own race and try and finish sixth and get the good points like that. It’s a balance; certain things I do understand – other bits not so much.”
But he agrees that the McLaren is a hard car to drive: “Because, I do feel like it’s a difficult car to drive, our car. You know, I think our characteristics which he’s also had over the past few years, even Carlos [Sainz] said it, they’re quite specific and unique so some of the driving styles you need are like not ones you kind of grow up learning, and therefore you have to adapt quite a bit.”
Elaborating on his previous point, he said: “Especially this year, the car’s very different, and some of the characteristics of last year are gone and we’ve introduced some other characteristics, so I’ve had to change my driving style. At the same time, I’ve also had to adapt to it. It’s not just because I’ve been with McLaren for four years that I know this car inside-out.” adding that he has also had to adapt to the car quite a bit.
Lando Norris felt that Ricciardo has struggled with the MCL36 because he prefers a more stable rear, while Norris himself does not mind an unstable rear. In any case, it is obvious that for his and McLaren’s sake, Ricciardo needs to adapt to the car better, and truly show what he can do on the track.
Also Read: “Just kick it out for a while,” Lando Norris demands a ban on the “Fans” for their misconduct.
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Aniket Tripathi
(1002 Articles Published)