“Braking is the biggest thing”- Daniel Ricciardo on difference between Red Bull, Renault and McLaren

“Braking is the biggest thing”- Daniel Ricciardo gives his judgement on what is the biggest factor between all the teams he has competed for.

Daniel Ricciardo appeared for McLaren for the first time during the pre-season testing in Bahrain. This is his third team in the span of the last four years. Hence making adjustments is now a part of his career.

The Australian race driver has confessed that adjusting to McLaren’s braking system has been his toughest task this year while also admitting that this factor is the most significant in all the big three teams he has represented.

“It is certainly different again, so I am still probably adapting or adjusting to that,” he said. “Going from Red Bull to Renault and Renault to McLaren, probably the braking is the biggest thing which it seems like you need to adapt.

“That’s one where I’m still trying to get on top of it and understand where the limit is, of the car. But I generally think in the past couple of years, and it looks like they’ve had a pretty good car on braking.”

Once I settle, I will do late-braking passes.

Daniel Ricciardo has his signature move of taking the pace to the edge of a turn to convert an overtake; over here it’s his proficiency over the braking, which is a key, and Ricciardo says he will do that this year too, once he settles with the new braking system.

“I think that once I’m up to speed [it] should be a pretty good one, and hopefully [you’ll] see some good passes from me again, some late ones,” he said.

“With the braking, it’s more probably just a mechanical feeling. I think even things like new cars, new pedals and positioning; it’s probably more just a feel on that physically than anything else for now.”

The changes to F1 car aerodynamics to reduce downforce have also altered their handling characteristics. I have seen a few more cars sliding, for sure,” said Ricciardo.

“I’m not sure they’re quite there with the rear grip yet. So I think most people are probably still suffering some losses with the floor change.”

About the author

Tanish Chachra

Tanish Chachra is the Motorsport editor at The SportsRush. He saw his first race when F1 visited India in 2011, and since then, his romance with the sport has been seasonal until he took up this role in 2020. Reigniting F1's coverage on this site, Tanish has fallen in love with the sport all over again. He loves Kimi Raikkonen and sees a future world champion in Oscar Piastri. Away from us, he loves to snuggle inside his books.

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