After a “big step” in qualifying, Ricciardo is looking for the “last 5%” in the McLaren F1 car

After securing a top six finish in qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix, Daniel Ricciardo says he still needs to find the “last 5%” of performance in his McLaren Formula 1 car while he is continues to adjust to his new team.

The Australian, who moved from midfield rival Alpine to McLaren over the winter, admitted after just a day and a half in the MCL35M during pre-season testing that he needed more time to get his new car into the 2021 campaign.

Although he wasn’t quite comfortable with McLaren’s 2021 challenger, Ricciardo drove a lap good enough to finish sixth on the grid in his first qualifying for the Woking team in Bahrain, just ahead of teammate Lando Norris.

“I’m satisfied,” said Ricciardo of his qualifying performance. “As experienced as I am in Formula 1, the truth is that a new car is a new car.

On the subject of matching items

“I realized pretty quickly that this 95% can be achieved. But finding the last 5% will take some time. I still don’t think I got it all out, but I definitely made a good move today.

“I wouldn’t say that my lap was phenomenal, but let’s say about the first qualifying session with a new team that I’m really very happy with the progress.”

On the subject of matching items

When asked where he left the last 5%, Ricciardo replied, “I was pretty slow at Turn 11 for most of the session, so I think that was the corner.

“But it’s probably more than just real curves, it’s the trust in the car that sticks, it will take hold and all that.

“But I certainly had a lot more calm today, that was good. We’ll just work from here. I’m not overly excited, but I’ll have a better day today. “

After Ricciardo had spent most of the weekend behind Norris in the timesheets, Ricciardo turned the tables against his McLaren team-mate with a narrow margin of just 0.047 seconds in the third quarter.

“That is definitely a little catch,” explained Ricciardo. “But the greatest joy I have now is to know that my confidence in the car has taken a big step tonight.

“All the tests and slowly came, and yesterday was a bit more on P2 than on P1, but I still knew that I had to find quite a bit of time today if I was to be competitive with Lando and Q3.

“It’s still not perfect, but I’m happy with the progress. I can not complain.”

And Ricciardo has set himself the goal of challenging Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and AlphaTauri driver Pierre Gasly with his goal of finishing in the top five in the season opener on Sunday.

“I think the race pace we can be pretty strong and definitely challenge Charles and Gasly,” he added. “Our goal is the top 5. I think if we start the season with the top 5 it would be great.

“But even more important is my personal goal to find this rhythm and confidence in the car. Getting into the top 5 tomorrow is a good start to the McLaren journey. “