Mattia Binotto says that blaming Daniel Ricciardo for McLaren’s points deficit in the Championship would be unfair.
Ricciardo joined McLaren in 2021 and found it very difficult to adjust to the car. Teammate Lando Norris convincingly outperformed him in the early stages of the season.
Thankfully, the Aussie driver has grown more comfortable in his MCL35M in the second half. Ricciardo won the Italian Grand Prix in Monza in September, McLaren’s first win since 2012.
DANIEL RICCIARDO WINS! WOW! 🏁
It’s his first victory since Monaco 2018, and his maiden podium for McLaren. Incredible!#ItalianGP 🇮🇹 #F1 pic.twitter.com/tQ8Ulg4SzL
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 12, 2021
McLaren were comfortably ahead of Ferrari in the constructors’ standings in the first half of the season. Since then, the Italian team have picked up the pace. Consistent performances by Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz mean that the Scuderia have leapfrogged the Surrey based team to move to P3 in the standings.
Ricciardo missed out on opportunities to pick up some big points in the initial stages of the season. The McLaren car was faster than the Ferraris back then and had the 31-year-old scored those points, McLaren would theoretically be ahead in the standings.
On the other hand, Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto thinks that it is wrong to blame Ricciardo for this deficit.
Also read: McLaren and Alfa Romeo garages left unassembled in Sao Paolo due to freight delays
Daniel Ricciardo was unlucky just like we were says Binotto
“I think that if you look at the number of points that Carlos is bringing, it’s a factor (in being ahead of McLaren), so it’s very important,” Binotto said.
“He has always made a lot of points in the race and bringing a lot of points to the Constructors’, and having the Constructors’ Championship as one of our main targets, it was important for us. “So certainly, he’s doing very well. Indeed, that has been important.
Mattia Binotto said that luck is a significant factor in this sport. He mentioned races where his team missed out on points due to unforeseen situations. That is why he thinks Ricciardo should not be blamed for his team being behind Ferrari in the table.
A good result for Ferrari in Mexico on Sunday as they moved up to P3 in the standings
But it wasn’t all plain sailing 🤔⬇️#MexicoGP 🇲🇽 #F1 https://t.co/EtW2eqNnNf
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 8, 2021
“I don’t think it’s only that because we have been unlucky through this season in some circumstances, Monaco, Hungary, so we could even be a lot more ahead of that.
“So I would not blame Ricciardo in that battle, I think that would be wrong.” he concluded.
Ferrari are currently 13.5 points ahead of McLaren in the standings with just four races to go. The next round of the Championship takes place this weekend at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Also read: Charles Leclerc thinks fight for P3 between McLaren and Ferrari will be decided by mistakes
