Daniel Ricciardo admits teammate Lando Norris has handled tricky McLaren better

Aussie F1 star Daniel Ricciardo has admitted his young teammate Lando Norris has been better able to handle the challenges of driving a difficult McLaren this season.

Ricciardo’s struggles in 2022 will see him replaced at the end of the season by Australian compatriot Oscar Piastri, but the man known as the Honey Badger hopes to return to a race seat in 2024.

It has been a season to forget for Australian Formula One driver Daniel Ricciardo of McLaren

Ricciardo’s meagre 29 points this season in comparison with Norris’ 101 points has raised eyebrows and brought whispers of preferential treatment for the young Brit.

‘We have so much data, and I’ll watch Lando’s onboards as well. And I’ll see sometimes what he’s able to do, and I’m just like, ‘OK, I can see it, but I can’t do it’. And I’m like, why won’t it just rotate, or do that?’ Ricciardo told The Race.

‘The race pace as well, that’s been one where normally things balance out, if you can’t maybe get the peak in the car in one lap in quali, by the race, it should kind of settle and yet sometimes the race pace I’m like eight tenths a lap slower. And I’m just like, how?

‘Even in debriefs, you’ll hear from Lando ‘oh this stint of the race, I could really feel the car was working there, it kind of came alive’ where I’m just like … I never had that feeling.

‘At times, I’m just like, something’s up. This isn’t normal.’

Norris is the future of Australian F1 driving and has usurped Ricciardo at McLaren for 2023

Whatever the cause of the disparity in performance between the pair, Ricciardo acknowledges the quality of his teammate.

‘One, I’ll never take credit away from him – the kid’s good. There’s no denying that. And if I say he’s not, then I’m just being a bitter, sore loser,’ Ricciardo said.

‘The second is, ignorance is bliss. And I’m not saying he’s got no knowledge of racecars, not at all. He’s quite actually in tune with what he does, from a technical point of view.

‘But it’s the only F1 car he’s driven. There’s been variations of the McLaren but he hasn’t driven for another team. So in a way he has got, I’m sure, used to some of the elements of this car.’

Ricciardo has been unable to replicate his best form behind the wheel of the orange McLaren in 2022 with his fifth place finish in Singapore his best result all season.

With no podium finishes, DNF results in Italy and Saudi Arabia, an 18th place finish in Emilia Romagna and a 17th finish in Netherlands, it has certainly been a season to forget.  

Numerous vehicle issues have plagued Ricciardo in a season with zero podium finishes

It would be easy for Ricciardo to blame the car. He has struggled to adapt to the McLaren Mercedes all season, endured countless mechanical issues and missing out on an engine upgrade given to Norris amidst claims of preferential treatment toward the younger driver.

Both drivers have disputed those claims and Norris said the McLaren setup was actually geared more toward Ricciardo’s driving style than his own.

Now, Ricciardo has opened up in an interview with The Raceabout his woes at McLaren and how Norris had simply been able to overcome those challenges better than he could.

Ricciardo has no hard feelings and admits that Norris has handled the vehicles better

His 227 starts make Ricciardo the most experienced Australian F1 driver ever.

Since making his F1 debut in 2011, he has claimed eight Grand Prix victories, 32 podium finishes and three pole positions, making him the 39th most successful driver in history.