Despite having a rough season during his first year at McLaren, Daniel Ricciardo is not willing to switch to a new team.
Daniel Ricciardo shifted to McLaren in 2021 and got overshadowed by his new teammate Lando Norris’ performance. However, Ricciardo feels very comfortable in the McLaren environment and wants to continue with the team.
In the 2021 drivers’ standings, the Australian race driver finished eighth, 45 points behind his teammate Lando Norris.
I think Daniel Ricciardo has been written off too quickly for 2022.
Don’t get me wrong, he had a very very poor 2021, but we can’t overlook his accolades at Red Bull or his fantastic final year with Renault.
Still, he *must* deliver this year.
— formularacers (@formularacers_) January 27, 2022
Speaking to Auto Motor und Sport, Ricciardo clarified that he is keen to make this project work. When questioned if he wants to stay with the team for the rest of his F1 career, he said, “It’s always like that.”‘
“Don’t get me wrong, I think that’s part of the challenge in Formula 1 and as a driver. You don’t just strive to be fast, you strive to be in the best car.”
“But I am not on the hunt here. I’ve been around a bit over the last three or four years, of course. Because I like the environment at McLaren so much and I enjoy it so much, I really want to make this project work. I want to be here. The trappings fit as well.
“I like the brand, I like the road cars. I can say that I really like being part of this company, part of the McLaren family.”
Also Read: McLaren boss feels Daniel Ricciardo will improve on his performances in the 2022 season
Daniel Ricciardo is excited about the future
Following his victory at the 2021 Italian Grand Prix, Ricciardo is excited about what he can achieve with McLaren. He explained, “The reason why I’m not remotely thinking about another team or beyond my future is that I actually won in maybe the hardest year of my career.”
“So my thought is: if I win in a year like that, what does that say about the journey ahead? I am definitely excited and I want to be here, possibly until the end of my career.”
Also Read: Daniel Ricciardo opens up about the possibility of retiring without winning a World Championship
