Daniel Ricciardo, the Australian driver for the RB Formula 1 team, has dismissed the idea that his struggles in 2024 are similar to his previous difficulties with McLaren. Ricciardo joined McLaren in 2021 with high expectations but was unable to match his teammate Lando Norris and was ultimately dropped after the 2022 season. Given a second chance with Red Bull’s sister team, Ricciardo was hoping for a strong start with the rebranded RB squad this year. However, he has consistently qualified behind his teammate Yuki Tsunoda in the first three rounds and has yet to score a point, with his best finish being 12th place.
Despite being puzzled by his performance compared to Tsunoda in Melbourne, Ricciardo remains optimistic that his struggles are not the same as his time at McLaren. He acknowledges that he needs to improve his downforce and rear grip but also highlights his difficulties in high-speed corners in Melbourne and Saudi Arabia. While the team made adjustments to address the issues in Saudi Arabia, the problem persisted in Melbourne, particularly in Turns 9 and 10. Ricciardo emphasizes the importance of staying focused and not letting outside advice distract him from working with his engineers.
During the break between races, Ricciardo and his engineers thoroughly examined the VCARB 01 chassis to ensure there were no significant problems. They made changes after the Saudi Arabian race and plan to make further adjustments for the upcoming race in China. The team wants to ensure that everything is in order and that they haven’t overlooked any potential issues. Ricciardo acknowledges that he feels slightly behind compared to last year, despite having better preparation and more experience with the car and the team. The goal is to eliminate any factors that may be affecting his performance that are beyond their control.
Pressed about the subject of requesting a new chassis, Ricciardo stated: “I definitely addressed that. Just, once again, to ensure.
“In the past, there has been a slight variation. I’ve been in Formula 1 for a long time now, but you can discover some distinctions.
“So, that was certainly something I brought up the possibility of if I’m still struggling before we simply tell me I’m terrible, let’s at least resolve that and put everything to rest.”
RB has an updated floor for this weekend’s race at Suzuka as it aims to maintain sixth position in the championship, but Ricciardo cautions that it will bring minimal enhancements.
“We’re not downplaying it, but this one’s a small addition,” he advised.
“It’s not something that will revolutionize the car, but it’s a little bit here and there, so that’ll be pleasant and we have a few more in the pipeline for the upcoming races.
“Every bit aids and matters, and in the midfield battle we’re engaged in, if it gives us half a tenth, that’s something we’ll gladly accept.”