Ricciardo: Still track-dependent for McLaren to fight Mercedes and Red Bull
Daniel Ricciardo believes it is still track-dependent for McLaren to fight with Formula 1 front-runners Mercedes and Red Bull despite its recent strong form.


Ricciardo scored McLaren’s first victory in almost nine years by winning the Italian Grand Prix at Monza last month, leading home team-mate Lando Norris for a 1-2.
Norris himself came close to winning the following race in Sochi two weeks ago, only for a late rain shower to end his hopes after failing to make the switch to intermediate tyres at the right time.
The upswing in form for McLaren has helped its push for third place in the constructors’ championship against Ferrari, and given hope to a more open fight at the head of the field following a period of Red Bull and Mercedes dominance.
The team has regularly downplayed its chances of being a consistent threat in the fight at the front, and Ricciardo felt that while it had got in the mix on occasion this year, its best form was still largely track-dependent.
“We’ve definitely been looking like [fighting Mercedes and Red Bull] certainly more often in the last few weeks,” Ricciardo said.
“I think Lando has been there pretty much all year, and it’s starting to look more promising for me as well.
“But looking at Lando’s race [in Sochi], the part in the dry was very strong, contending there.
“I think it’s still a little track-dependent for us as a team. I don’t think we’re universally strong across the board, at every track layout we go to.
“The ones that we’re strong on, we seem to be able to really take it to the top two teams.”

Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren MCL35M
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl said that he broadly agreed with Ricciardo’s assessment, and that the team was remaining realistic about its current standing in the F1 pecking order, with its focus being on beating Ferrari to third place in the constructors’ championship.
“I think with the picture we have seen so far this year, yes I would agree that it will be track-specific,” Seidl said.
“We have seen occasionally this year that we were able to fight even for pole positions or keep faster cars behind us on specific tracks.
“At the same time, I think with the development of the car throughout the season, plus a better understanding also of the team and how to get even more performance out of the package that we have, I think we made steps in terms of car performance at all kinds of tracks, as we have seen for example in Hungary.
“But I think we have a realistic view on where we are right now. At least with the Ferraris, we have everything in our hands in order to keep them behind us.
“At the same time, whenever there are opportunities to score podium results, we want to be there.”
Related video

F1 Turkish GP: Hamilton leads FP1 with new Istanbul Park track record
F1 drivers trial prototype gloves after Grosjean crash

Latest news
Ford: F1 return wasn’t possible without changes to engine rules
Ford would not have returned to Formula 1 without the major changes to the engine regulations for 2026, according to its motorsport boss.
Mercedes takes BoP hit after rapid Bathurst qualifying
Mercedes teams have been dealt a hefty Balance of Performance blow ahead of tomorrow's Bathurst 12 Hour following Maro Engel's lap record-breaking effort in the Top 10 Shootout.
Lapierre to skip 2023 WEC season as Alpine steps down to LMP2
Nicolas Lapierre is set to be absent from the World Endurance Championship grid for the first time since 2015 this year, following Alpine’s step down to LMP2.
Ford still not satisfied with Supercars Gen3 parity
Ford continues to harbour concerns over the parity between the Mustang and Camaro Gen3 Supercars following the latest round of prototype testing.
Assessing Hamilton's remarkable decade as a Mercedes F1 driver
Many doubted Lewis Hamilton’s move from McLaren to Mercedes for the 2013 Formula 1 season. But the journey he’s been on since has taken the Briton to new heights - and to a further six world championship titles
Why new look Haas is a litmus test for Formula 1’s new era
OPINION: With teams outside the top three having struggled in Formula 1 in recent seasons, the rules changes introduced in 2022 should have more of an impact this season. How well Haas does, as the poster child for the kind of team that F1 wanted to be able to challenge at the front, is crucial
The Mercedes F1 pressure changes under 10 years of Toto Wolff
OPINION: Although the central building blocks for Mercedes’ recent, long-lasting Formula 1 success were installed before he joined the team, Toto Wolff has been instrumental in ensuring it maximised its finally-realised potential after years of underachievement. The 10-year anniversary of Wolff joining Mercedes marks the perfect time to assess his work
The all-French F1 partnership that Ocon and Gasly hope to emulate
Alpine’s signing of Pierre Gasly alongside Esteban Ocon revives memories of a famous all-French line-up, albeit in the red of Ferrari, for BEN EDWARDS. Can the former AlphaTauri man's arrival help the French team on its path back to winning ways in a tribute act to the Prancing Horse's title-winning 1983?
How do the best races of F1 2022 stack up to 2021?
OPINION: A system to score all the grands prix from the past two seasons produces some interesting results and sets a standard that 2023 should surely exceed
Who were the fastest drivers in F1 2022?
Who was the fastest driver in 2022? Everyone has an opinion, but what does the stopwatch say? Obviously, differing car performance has an effect on ultimate laptime – but it’s the relative speed of each car/driver package that’s fascinating and enlightening says ALEX KALINAUCKAS
Why F1's nearly man is refreshed and ready for his return
He has more starts without a podium than anyone else in Formula 1 world championship history, but Nico Hulkenberg is back for one more shot with Haas. After spending three years on the sidelines, the revitalised German is aiming to prove to his new team what the F1 grid has been missing
The potential-laden F1 car that Ferrari neglected
The late Mauro Forghieri played a key role in Ferrari’s mid-1960s turnaround, says STUART CODLING, and his pretty, intricate 1512 was among the most evocative cars of the 1.5-litre era. But a victim of priorities as Formula 1 was deemed less lucrative than success in sportscars, its true potential was never seen in period
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.