The McLaren race engineer of Daniel Ricciardo, Tom Stallard, stated that the Covid-19 pandemic put the Australian driver at a disadvantage before starting his time in Woking. Ricciardo, once considered a potential future world champion by Red Bull, had disappointing stints with Renault and McLaren. He endured two tough seasons at McLaren before leaving the team earlier than expected. Stallard, who worked closely with Ricciardo at McLaren, revealed how the pandemic affected their working relationship.
Stallard explained that Ricciardo joined McLaren in late 2020, during the second Covid-19 lockdown. This presented challenges as the 34-year-old driver was in Los Angeles at the time. The team had to conduct video calls to communicate with Ricciardo and provide him with technical information. However, the lack of personal interaction hindered the development of a strong connection between the Australian driver and his new team.
According to Stallard, it is crucial for a team to have a deep understanding of their driver, including non-verbal cues. He also emphasized that Formula 1 drivers do not have the opportunity for extensive winter training, making Ricciardo’s situation even more challenging. As a result, Ricciardo struggled throughout his two seasons at McLaren.
Despite efforts to bounce back, McLaren and Ricciardo faced challenges due to limited interaction caused by the pandemic. This lack of communication may have contributed to the Australian driver’s disappointing performance for the Woking-based team.
Ricciardo ended up being replaced by another driver for the 2023 season, marking the end of his time at McLaren. Stallard admitted that it took some time to process Ricciardo’s departure, as he was deeply involved in working with him. The race engineer expressed frustration at not being able to solve the puzzle of Ricciardo’s difficulties before he was replaced. However, Stallard and Ricciardo remain friends and continue to meet at each race.
During his time at McLaren, Ricciardo experienced the lowest point of his career. He was unable to keep up with his teammate’s performance. However, the Australian driver took some time off in early 2023 and made a comeback with AlphaTauri halfway through the last season. Ricciardo has shown improvement since his time at McLaren, but still has a long way to go to regain his former success.
