Red Bull Racing F1 team representative Christian Horner wonders if Daniel Ricciardo, who is under pressure to maintain McLaren’s F1 seat, has the same passion for F1 as before is doing.
Daniel Ricciardo has had a tough 2022 season, 50 points behind his teammate Lando Norris, who is the only podium winner of the McLaren F1 this year. The difference in results has led to speculation about Ricardo’s future at the McLaren F1.
Christian Horner believes that former Red Bull player Daniel Ricciardo can do better, and is amazed at the difference with his teammate Lando Norris.
“Daniel is a great driver. He’s a very fast driver. I’m surprised he’s only done like that at McLaren,” he told the Christian Horner Cambridge Union.
“Rand is doing a great job. He’s the next generation driver to take on. I think he’s just showing what happens when he hangs his head in F1.”
After leaving Red Bull Racing, who had won the race, Daniel Ricciardo has had a hard time finding a car that is consistently in the lead. After leaving Renault, who won two podiums in 2020, Ricardo gave McLaren a surprise victory at the 2021 F1 Italian Grand Prix, both teams being generally midfield cars.
The performance gap with Lando Norris in 2022 has sparked speculation that Daniel Ricciardo will lose his seat, even though McLaren F1 has signed a contract until the end of 2023.
McLaren’s IndyCar driver Pato O’Ward is believed to be a potential F1 driver in the future, and the team’s reserve driver is F2 champion Oscar Piastri.
Christian Horner continued that lack of self-confidence and a desire for sports may be the reason for his struggle in 2022.
“He (Ricardo) was one of the most talented drivers in our car, but self-confidence is a very important factor and we can see that he is losing confidence,” said Christian Horner.
“He seems to have lost a bit of his love for sports. I think he needs to rediscover it.”
“He’s a better driver than he’s currently showing, and he needs to discover it again.”
Category: Category: F1 / Red bull / McLaren / Daniel Ricciardo