Daniel Ricciardo still believes that chassis did play a role a bit, as he wants to extract as much by adjusting little things as he has done recently.
Much like how the recent years has been for Visa Cash App RB’s Ricciardo, it isn’t surprising that the Australian is facing an inconsistent F1 season. Ever since the departure from McLaren, he was already touted as a potential replacement to Sergio Perez.
But his run was deferred due to an incident at Zandvoort and he got another season at Visa Cash App RB alongside Yuki Tsunoda. In the nine races so far, the Japanese has had an upperhand on the Australian with 19 points to nine situation.
This has earned Tsunoda a contract extension for the 2025 F1 season, as Ricciardo has to battle it out against Liam Lawson. The Australian has had glimpses of performances and a chassis change has seemingly worked better for him as he states.
“I still believe there is something [with the chassis],” said Ricciardo to media. “But look, honestly, whether I believe or not, it’s clear that with this new one I’ve had some great races or some great performances, and some not so great. So that’s why probably then make sure I’m looking at myself first and look at myself in the mirror.
“And just make sure I’m getting the most out of me and being 100% kind of on myself before I then start going, ‘Alright, what about this? What about that?’ Because I never want the team to – probably through past experience – I never want the team to, yeah, kind of go down rabbit holes.
“And there’s already enough that we’re trying to problem solve over a weekend with set-up and all these things. So yeah, making sure that I’m not just sending them on a path that is a waste of energy for everyone. When in China, when I got the new chassis, and the weekend was looking better, and then Miami started, well, I said, ‘Alright, yeah, it could be it’. But then I had a couple of runs of maybe not so good races until Canada.
“So yeah, it’s, I think what’s good is, obviously, I still have the ability to do, let’s say some pretty cool things or pretty special, or whatever. But it’s just making sure that is me, kind of unconditionally. And it’s not just ‘oh, when I’m feeling good, or when the conditions are right’ – so yeah, like I believe moving forward, I can be more consistent because I’ve done it.
“So there’s no reason I shouldn’t. But because it’s been a few races now this year, and I haven’t quite had the consistency I wanted, that’s why I’m like just trying to make sure I’m not missing some things in preparation, the weeks leading up to races. Because sometimes you look just at the result on Sunday, and ‘Okay, my start wasn’t good – and that’s why I finished whatever’.
“But it’s a lot of the build up can dictate then how you drive. And the things even off track maybe have an impact. So it’s just really making sure that everything is well rounded. So when I get in the car, there’s no questions, doubts, concerns. It’s just spectacular action,” summed up Ricciardo, who when asked about the extra things, he explained.
He said: “We’ve certainly tried to alter some things, and of course the sponsors that are helping us race and pay the bills, we have to give them time, but it’s probably the little five minutes here and five minutes there that maybe we don’t need to be doing. Sometimes it’s random stuff. It’s not even that I should be sitting in my room staring at the ceiling.
“That time could be with the engineers and everyone’s mind can be put at ease that we’ve done our homework and we’re prepared to jump in the car. All these little one per cents that just help everyone’s mindset, then when we get into the session we feel like we’re ready to go.”
He knows he has to back up the Canadian performance into the rest of the season to keep his seat. There are little things that he can pick from Tsunoda, but eventually it is upto him to deliver and remain consistent to help his team finish sixth in the standings.
“I’ve got to repeat it and back it up to show that or prove it,” said Ricciardo. “I definitely am happy with some things that I mentioned before, that I acknowledged since Monaco, and I really do feel that it’s no coincidence that this weekend went a bit smoother. It’s just making sure that we keep on that, keep tapping into it and make sure that I’m holding myself accountable and not getting too relaxed and happy-go-lucky – making sure I keep that edge about me.”
Here’s Yuki Tsunoda on getting contract extension
Here’s Yuki Tsunoda, Daniel Ricciardo on Canadian GP
Here’s Yuki Tsunoda, Daniel Ricciardo on Sergio Perez’s deal
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