Daniel Ricciardo was taken aback by the progress his former team has made in 2024 after being stuck in the F1 midfield. The Australian driver, along with Lando Norris, joined McLaren at the start of the 2021 season. Despite winning the 2021 Italian GP, Ricciardo only managed to secure eighth place in the driver’s standings. Following a disappointing 2022 season where he finished 11th and lagged behind Norris, McLaren decided to part ways with him. Ricciardo expressed his surprise at how quickly his former team has transformed in such a short period of time.
McLaren’s MCL38 is currently considered the fastest car on the grid, surpassing all others. However, this wasn’t the case at the beginning of the season. Through their dedication and efforts to enhance their car’s performance, McLaren has won two races and achieved a total of 10 podium finishes. Ricciardo was astonished by the rapid changes McLaren has undergone. In less than two years, a team that lacked competitiveness has become the strongest on the grid. The Australian driver found this unexpected and didn’t anticipate McLaren’s remarkable improvement within such a brief timeframe.
Although Ricciardo acknowledges McLaren’s impressive progress, he doesn’t dwell on it or regret his decision to leave the team. He understands that Formula 1 operates with its fair share of ups and downs and accepts it as part of the sport’s nature.
Ricciardo also mentioned that Red Bull (RB) is making bold decisions and taking significant risks to improve their performance. They have set ambitious goals that they believe are attainable. Ricciardo hinted that RB aims to achieve a substantial improvement, similar to what McLaren experienced in the 2024 season. He affirmed that RB is willing to take risks and implement major changes for the remaining 10 races. Contrary to rumors of his replacement, Ricciardo will continue to stay with the team. Fans are hopeful that RB will perform better than their initial performance in the 2024 season.
Photo from Daniel Ricciardo (X)
