Dan feels the ‘pain’
Poor drive hard to take
DANIEL Ricciardo looked on the verge of tears as he came to terms with another shocking drive for McLaren at the US Grand Prix on Monday.
Many had questioned how the affable Aussie had remained so upbeat in the face of a horror campaign that ultimately led to he and the team agreeing to part ways at the end of the season.
But the struggles appeared to have finally taken a toll on Ricciardo, who told media after his 16th-place finish in Austin: “I don’t know how I’m continuing to continue. I have no idea what to say. Honestly, it’s just 2022.
“It’s been the year that it’s been. Just so far off the pace, I simply can’t lean on (the car), I can’t push, can’t get the time out of it.
“The inconsistency through the lap times shows that it really is a struggle, but to have such a really big margin (to teammate Lando Norris) again it remains a mystery. I love Texas, I love Austin, but that race was not enjoyable for me.”
Ricciardo had struggled all weekend to get control of the car and it continued into the race. The West Australian beat only perennial backmarker Nicholas Latifi.
The 33-year-old ostensibly dropped three places from his P16 start on the grid after Carlos Sainz, Lance Stroll and Valtteri Bottas failed to finish the race in Austin.
“Here, when you think it can’t get worse, it does,” Ricciardo said.
“That’s where, I don’t know, I don’t know how I’m continuing to continue because ‘it’s painful’ is an understatement.”
The Aussie has been linked with Mercedes and his former team Red Bull, though he said on Sunday no contract had been signed despite talks on the matter progressing.
Sky Sports F1 reporter Ted Kravitz initially said a move to Red Bull was most likely. However, after the race on Monday he said Mercedes was in the box seat to sign Ricciardo.