Ricciardo to ‘get stuck in’ at Monaco after pain in Spain

Jamie Woodhouse
Daniel Ricciardo wears a mask. Imola April 2022.

Daniel Ricciardo stands with McLaren race engineer Tom Stallard. Imola April 2022.

Daniel Ricciardo is ready to make a statement and return to form at the Monaco Grand Prix, an event which he has won in the past.

Ricciardo is still struggling to find the true consistent breakthrough in his McLaren career, the most recent outing at the Spanish Grand Prix proving one which he will not look back on fondly.

He was able to outqualify team-mate Lando Norris, but race day did not go to plan, Norris recording a P8 finish on an afternoon where he was extremely ill, while Ricciardo missed out on the points in P12.

Monaco was not exactly a happy hunting ground for its resident Ricciardo last season, who was lapped by Norris, but as a winner of the Monaco Grand Prix in 2018, Ricciardo knows what he is capable of and will look to reinforce that at the 2022 staging.

Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren, in the Miami paddock. United States, May 2022.
Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren, in the paddock at the Miami Grand Prix. United States, May 2022.

“I’m bouncing back from a difficult race and looking forward to getting stuck into the Monaco weekend,” he said.

“I have a lot of history with this race so I’m hoping to make a mark in the MCL36 this year and score some points for the team.

“The atmosphere around Monaco is always exciting so it will be great to soak it all up. I’m also really looking forward to the short commute to track from my home!”

McLaren introduced their first major upgrade package of the season in Spain, Ricciardo saying that was a good learning experience for he and the team.

And now he goes into the Monaco Grand Prix set on a points-scoring finish.

“Off the back of Spain, I’ve got my head in the data with the engineers to make sure we’re in the best position possible to fight for a top 10 finish.

“We learnt a lot about the car, particularly with the good upgrades, and I have great trust in the team for us to keep improving. Hopefully we can put together a solid weekend and fight for a top 10 finish. Let’s keep pushing!”

 

McLaren arrive at the Monaco GP P4 in the Constructors’ Championship with 50 points, 39 of those provides by Norris, while Ricciardo has scored 11.

 

Torquing Point: Daniel Ricciardo 5.5/10 - Spanish GP Driver Ratings

Daniel Ricciardo's season has not gone to plan as of yet, which is the same as you could say for his McLaren career as a whole.