Daniel Ricciardo had yet another disappointing weekend with McLaren at the 2022 Dutch Grand Prix failing to score even a single point.
Eagle-eyed Daniel Ricciardo fans were not happy after spotting an on-screen message during the Dutch Grand Prix.
The race came down to the wire. It was eventually won by Max Verstappen. Before the race, a graphic message displayed “struggling again” against Ricciardo’s name.
Other drivers also got the labels. However, those were pretty simple making the one Ricciardo got to stand out.
Fans described this as “disgusting” and “toxic”.
Anyhow, another footage came into the spotlight from the race. In the concerned footage, Ricciardo was found talking about his future after 2022 indicating towards a possible “break”.
The cameras spotted the Australian talking to Red Bull’s Sergio Perez. The 33-year-old talked about taking a “break” in 2023 before planning a return in 2024.
Although the whole discussion was inaudible, Ricciardo could be heard saying,
“Take a year off and come back in 2024”,
before noticing the camera and stopping.
Ricciardo still does not have a seat for 2023 after being replaced by fellow Australian Oscar Piastri at McLaren.
F1 returns to Monza – Can Ricciardo make a comeback?
Now, after the Dutch Grand Prix is done and dusted, Formula 1 returns to Monza for the Italian Grand Prix. If you remember clearly, Ricciardo won here last year after showcasing a dominating performance.
Win at Monza can be called the only high Ricciardo had with the orange papaya.
Anyways, Ricciardo shared his views on the upcoming race:
“I’ll try to bring back last year’s magic,”
Ricciardo said after the Dutch Grand Prix.
“It was always going to be a tricky Sunday because of where we started and the nature of the track,”
he said.
“The first few laps were not too bad. I think we made some places here and there but starting that far back its hard to make a big impression, you need a big difference to make some moves and overtakes.
“In clear air, it felt like I had a little bit of pace to use – but it didn’t always seem to last long. So, obviously another challenging weekend.”
Lando Norris has carried the team alone so far. McLaren is still behind Alpine F1 in the fight for P4. A track like Monza which benefits straight-line speed can surely help Alpine extend their lead over McLaren.
If McLaren really wants to secure the 4th position, Ricciardo needs to step up his game.
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