Why Ricciardo’s Driving Style Isn’t Working

Why Ricciardo’s Driving Style Isn’t Working
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Danny Ric has been struggling this year – on pace, consistency and overall results. And its not helped by his teammate Lando outperforming that car this season. At the moment, Lando has 48 points, to Daniels 11 – so Lando has brought in 82% of McLarens points this season.

Then there is qualifying pace – on average, Lando is 6 tenths quicker – in the same car. (0.596)

So I looked into what’s going on, but to understand that – we need to understand Ricciardo’s driving style. Because it will explain why he was so quick at Red Bull, but not at McLaren.

Quickly though, I need to mention that Danny has had some great results. With several podiums and even a win back in Monza. But what we’re looking at is one of the drivers with the worst records compared to their teammate – who is obviously working with the same tools.

So really, it’s the gap to Lando that is interesting here.

So what is Danny’s driving style like? Well, I have broken down a number of driving styles on this channel – and really, they are subtle points that allow the driver to get the car through the corner quickly.

For example, Hamilton is incredible on the brakes. He is able to get the car stopped well, without losing time on exit. Vettel takes a more vee’d off line to rotate the car mid-corner, similar to Schumacher.

But all of these driving styles tie in closely with the car they are driving. For example, Alonso back in 2005 and 2005 was driving a Renault with a really strong rear end and using tyres that were rock hard. So he induced understeer on the way into the corner, which heated the tyres and gave him the grip to pivot the car mid-corner and fire it out on exit.

But he isn’t using that style at Alpine for example, as it would chew up the tyres and he would be pretty slow.

But, having said that – Danny was at his peak at Red Bull between 2014 and 2018. So let’s look at his style then.

The Red Bull was incredible aerodynamically, with more raw downforce than other teams (on the whole). But the Renault engine wasn’t great, so they were comparatively quick in the corners, but slower on the straights.

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#F1 #Ricciardo #McLaren

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39 Comments

  1. Great video! It's just staggering that he has found himself so far back. I believe in the right car, he's a contender. Missing peak honeybadger 🥲

  2. Lando hasn't driven a ything else, DR doesn't trust the car, mclaren don't want to change the car to suit his driving. Lando is getting out done by piastri and that's because mclaren are finally changing the car.

  3. I love your videos and I have learned so much that helps me enjoy watching F1 races more. QUESTION: You often use the term "rotate the car". What is the difference in "rotating" vs "turning"?

  4. Norris even tho young, had 3 years driving that bad chassis, norris going to extremes just to get 8th 9th or 10th each race…Danny should have stayed with renault.

  5. Everything in this is nice to me. The smart speaker; how good he understand Ricciard life as a driver.in front of Mclaren, Redbull. He has a good point of view.Someone has mencined Vandoorne has sofrered too. I can say: Thanks God! Both: Daniel and Stofel Vandoorne still good, very good and in good shape and happy.❤❤

  6. I always wondered how the Mclaren was, if it was a pointy car or understeery. I wanted to know this to answer the question of what if Lando went to Red Bull. Or Piastri in the Mclaren after learning from Alpine although he’s young & new enough to adapt

  7. do F1 driver's use driving coaches? or are they all at such high levels (in reality or in ego) that they don't "need" one? It seems like Dan could really benefit from a driving coach.

  8. I would have kept him on the team. Only change I would make is reducing his salary from $15 million to $750,000 per year. That's about how much he's really worth.

  9. I will say though, commenting on this months later, even if Lando is making most of the car, McLaren is still falling short of getting out of the mid pack runners. Yes, Daniel isn't performing well; he's not adapting to the car. However, Lando is squeezing every ounce of performance out of the car. With the recent Spa race and now Zandvoort, I feel McLaren has fallen further back further into this season and I feel like that is McLaren's fault.

  10. The issue is not ricciardo it's the car. He has more than proven himself fast. The only reason Lando is quicker is because the McLaren is all he knows he helped develop that piece of garbage car of course he is going to be fast in it. I believe soon as ricciardo is back in a properly designed F1 car there will be a magical return to "form". 7(8) race wins and a epic monaco qualifying lap plus a win without MGK power unit proves this. The honey badger will return.

  11. Ricardo is a good driver but isn’t right for mclaren their cars suit a very different driving style to daniels

  12. It sounds to my nascar trained ear that the McClaren plows like a dump truck in the corners and Daniel prefers a car that has a more secure front end and a slightly loose rear. Translation the McClaren is a Sh#t box. Norris has complained about the same things regarding the car but he is never held up by his team mate the way Ricciardo is.

  13. Disappointing that McLaren either cannot, or do not want to adapt the car to suit Ricciardo’s driving style. Wouldn’t it be interesting if Piastro’s style doesn’t suit the car. Will Zak get rid of him also? Maybe Zak Brown should concentrate on improving the McLaren car which is slow and unreliable.

  14. What I most appropriate about this channel is the in depth explanation of different driving styles and what that means. Usually in the races the most you get is hearing a driver is "smooth"

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