The Australian had a hard time with his teammate Lando Norris all season and tried to adapt his driving style to the demands of the MCL35M.
There was steady signs of progress and at Silverstone he finished fifth, one place behind Norris.
“It’s still definitely frustrating at times,” he said. “But I’m probably past the point of frustration. I think it’s kind of a reality now that I have to find something more and just be one with the car. That’s probably the best way to put it.
“So I guess it’s nothing new to me now. I know and I am aware that it will likely still be a process.
“At first I didn’t panic, but I knew I was losing ground and I was just trying to understand where I was losing and what I need to get you those three or fourth-tenths round more known.”
Ricciardo agreed that his solid Silverstone weekend had been a boost, even though he felt over a lap stronger in qualifying than he did in a racing stint.
“I’m definitely happy on paper, or happier with the first top 5 of the year,” he said when asked by Autosport about his Silverstone weekend.
“And Lando scores more top five, which are of course good points for the team. Of course, I know Ferrari has had a good, strong weekend.
“I think there is only a certain basic speed now. It’s strange because you think that if you really push the car to the limit I would miss maybe more on one lap, and maybe the race if everything calms down. ” have a little more.
Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren MCL35M, Carlos Sainz Jr., Ferrari SF21
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
“But we kind of saw the opposite this weekend. In the race, when the car has a bit of fuel and moves more, I have to adjust it a little bit more. I think just feeling and being able to do that I can’t really put my car on this knife edge so consistently. “
Ricciardo noted that he was pushed by Carlos Sainz Jr.’s Ferrari in the race, forcing him to test the limits: “I think having Carlos on me and putting pressure on me at the end or for most of the race is nice which somehow forced me to drive over a few corners.
“And I think it made it possible for me to feel a little more where that lead is. That’s definitely the encouraging thing. I know that Carlos was definitely faster in clearer air, but he made it into the top 5 when I always I am still like that, it is. ” encouraging.”
Ricciardo found in Austria that he needs to focus on himself rather than the pace of his teammate, and he says he’s trying to stick to that approach.
“I mean, of course I’ll take a look at the data and see where I can improve. But yes, qualifying gave me a good, shall we say, inner self-confidence.
“I was pretty comfortable with the car and I didn’t feel the need to be distracted by it or the competitors. So I think it was a good weekend, let’s say in terms of the mindset.”
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