Daniel Ricciardo has stated that this season is the most challenging of his career so far, and he has stated this quite comfortably.
After leaving Renault – now known as Alpine – for the 2021 season and beyond, the Australian has failed to find his feet at McLaren.
Throughout the first half of the season, he has looked far from his best, frequently being beaten by teammate Lando Norris.
While he had a losing head-to-head record with Max Verstappen towards the conclusion of his time at Red Bull, this is the first time in his career that he’s been so clearly second best at the team he’s driving for.
He confesses that this year has been the most difficult for him since he joined the grid in 2011, because every weekend has been a struggle.
“Definitely, definitely harder,” he told speedcafe.com when asked whether it has been the toughest season of his career.
“I think it’s the first time I’ve consistently found it difficult. For sure over the years you have bad weekends, and even you might have two bad ones on a trot, but then you kind of get it right…
“I feel like it’s been definitely more bad [this year]. That’s obviously been not always easy to take, but it is what it is.”
The main reason he’s so far off the pace Norris is setting right now is that he’s still getting used to his new machinery.
In fact, he has yet to have a weekend where he looked at ease and at his best from start to finish.
He’s not too worried, however, because the sport is supposed to be difficult.
“I think sometimes as well, you’ve got to realise and remember that I’m in the elite level of the sport. It shouldn’t be easy,” he added.
“So yeah, I’m struggling more than I have before but it’s probably for a reason as well. I am against the best guys, so I’ve just got to lift my game and figure it out.”
While Ricciardo has struggled, Norris has excelled, being one of the stand-out drivers of the season so far, currently occupying P3 in the standings with 113 points and three podiums.
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