Daniel Ricciardo admits that he is not expecting the struggles he faced in his first year with McLaren to suddenly disappear in 2022. The Australian had some problems in adapting to his new car in 2021, but acknowledges that he is not the first driver at the team to face this issue. With this in mind, he remains hopeful that it is something he can overcome. "I certainly never give up hope," Ricciardo told Auto Motor und Sport when asked whether his driving style might be better suited to the 2022 challenger. "I'm not the first driver in the team to report the limitations with the car that I felt. I don't want to say that some of it is in the DNA of the car because a car changes over time. "But as far as I understand it, it's been on McLaren's mind for some time. Maybe it's being talked about more than in the past. I think it could be a step in the right direction."
What are Ricciardo's expectations for the 2022 season?
Whilst Ricciardo is optimistic about how he will adapt to the car in the upcoming campaign, he also feels that his prior struggles will still be something he has to deal with. "Will my problems suddenly be gone? I don't expect that," Ricciardo explained. "If they do, I think I will adapt to the rules with my natural driving style. But I want to be prepared if it doesn't turn out that way. "The fact that I got better and better with the 2021 car should also benefit me with the next car." The high point of Ricciardo's 2021 season was his victory at the Italian Grand Prix in September, which marked a 1-2 finish for McLaren, with Lando Norris finishing in second. McLaren will launch their new car, the MCL36, on 11 February.
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