Australian GP 2022: How has Daniel Ricciardo fared in his home race over the years?

McLaren seems to be in a tricky situation at the moment. With the first two race weekends behind us, McLaren sees themselves 8th in the Constructos Championship with just 6 points. Marquee driver Daniel Ricciardo has been out-qualified by his younger teammate on both Saturdays and seems to be struggling with the new regulations car.

The Australian has yet to score a championship point so far this season and seems realistic of the struggles the team is facing. But fans will be hopeful the 32-year-old racer can turn things around ahead of his first home race in 3 years.

Since joining the F1 grid as a Red Bull junior driver for HRT, the Aussie has been considered a bright talent. He was one of the best drivers in the F1 grid and his best finish was in 2016 and 2018 where he finished 3rd on the Drivers standings behind Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel. He has achieved 8 Grand Prix victories and 32 Podiums during his F1 career so far.

Daniel Ricciardo returns to Albert Park this week where he will race in the Australian GP as a McLaren driver for the first time. It has been a challenging start to the season for McLaren, so a first home victory for F1’s ‘Honey Badger’ may be difficult to come by. But fans cant wait to see him back on his home turf in new colours.

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Let’s look at Daniel Ricciardo’s finishes in the Australian GP

Since his debut in 2011 with HRT, Daniel Ricciado has started in 8 Austrailian GP’s to date. He has made 2 starts as a Toro Rosso Driver, 5 with Red Bull and 1 with Renault. His best finish in Melbourne has been a 4th place finish in 2016 and 2018. He has suffered from bad luck in his previous few outings in Albert Park with 3 Retirements and a Disqualification and has never stepped on his home race’s podium.

2012 Austrailian GP was Daniel Ricciado’s first home race as a F1 driver for Toro Rosso. Along with Red Bull’s Mark Webber it was the first Australian Grand Prix to feature two Australians on the grid. And in his home debut, Ricciardo finished on points in P9 after qualifying P10. But could not repeat the feat in 2013 as he was forced to retire with a broken exhaust.

After a move to Red Bull he snatched P2 finish in front of his home crowd. But the joy was short lived as he was was disqualified from 2014 race for breaching the maximum fuel limit and using an unauthorised method of measuring fuel consumption. He made a comeback in 2015 finishing 6th and scoring his first home race points as a Red Bull driver.

By finishing P4 in 2016, Daniel Ricciardo equalled the highest ever finish by an Australian driver at their home event, after Mark Webber did the same in 2012. in 2017 Grand Prix his car failed on the way to the grid and was forced to retire. It was identified as a fuel cell issue. In his last outing as a Red Bull driver in 2018, Ricciardo matched his 2016 result and came agonisingly close, finishing a second behind the Ferrari of Kimi Raikonnen.

In his first and only race with Renault, Ricciardo while battling Sergio Perez on the Opening lap went on the gravel an damaged the front wing and underbody of his car. Renault retired him on lap 12 as a precaution following the lap 1 incident. Despite his past performances, the ‘Honey Badger’ will keep his head low and focus on the upcoming Home race and find his mojo in the land ‘down under’.

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