Norris, Ricciardo ‘deserve a better’ McLaren

Jamie Woodhouse
Daniel Ricciardo looks at McLaren team-mate Lando Norris. Brazil November 2021.

Daniel Ricciardo turns to look at his McLaren team-mate Lando Norris. Brazil November 2021.

McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl admits that the team should be providing Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo with a better car.

After several seasons on an upwards trajectory, McLaren had spent the 2021 season battling with Ferrari over the ‘best of the rest’ P3 spot in the Constructors’ Championship.

And with a major regulatory reset for 2022, McLaren were seen as one of the teams in prime position to escape the midfield and return to challenging for victories on a more frequent basis.

However, 2022 has started far away from that with McLaren well down on the pace of Red Bull and Ferrari, who have started out as the leading duo.

Problems with the front brakes meant that McLaren were among the slowest teams in Bahrain, Ricciardo finishing the race in P14, while Norris was P15.

The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was an improvement as Norris crossed the line P7, securing his and McLaren’s first points of the season, but the Brit explained that the MCL36 was in the exact same place as Bahrain, it was just that the Jeddah Corniche Circuit suited it more.

So, while Seidl praised the leadership abilities that both drivers are showing, he accepts that the MCL36 which they are driving should be a better car.

Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren, passes Nicholas Latifi, Williams. Bahrain, March 2022.
Lando Norris ahead as McLaren team-mate Daniel Ricciardo passes the Williams of Nicholas Latifi. Bahrain, March 2022.

“I was really very happy to see, despite the disappointment for Lando and Daniel, and they deserve a better car from us, how they are dealing with the situation,” said Seidl, quoted by GPFans.

“They kept the positivity up throughout the weekend in Bahrain. They understand it is not just about driving the car, it is also about showing leadership, especially in these situations, together with me as well.

“It is our responsibility now that we lead the team back to where we want to be, back to where we have to be. As I said before, I am confident we will come back.”

 

Seidl was asked to put some sort of timeframe to when we will see McLaren improve, but he was not prepared to give a direct answer.

So, instead he repeated his confidence that improvement will come, while praising all the hard work that he sees being put in at McLaren.

“As you know, these cars are complex and it is not easy to make something happen from one day to tomorrow,” he said.

“But again, I am very pleased to see the reaction of the team back home. Everyone is working flat out day and night in engineering, in production in order to get us back on track.

“I am very happy to see how everyone is dealing with the situation and it is important to stay positive. We know we can do it.”

 

Ricciardo, Norris 'deserve better McLaren'

Andreas Seidl admits his McLaren drivers deserve to be driving a better car this year.