Daniel Ricciardo

[andygo]

As a matter of interest, and, I may say, of more interest than Daniel, how is Alex Zanardi getting on at the moment? Any updates?

[HTP99]

andygo said:

As a matter of interest, and, I may say, of more interest than Daniel, how is Alex Zanardi getting on at the moment? Any updates?

There is an Alexa Zanardi thread, which was recently updated as his house had a fire, I can't find it though, the search engine is terrible!!

[carl_w]

HTP99 said:

There is an Alexa Zanardi thread, which was recently updated as his house had a fire, I can't find it though, the search engine is terrible!!

I also saw it. There was a fire at his house which damaged the machines that are keeping him alive, so he is now in hospital.

Edit: here it is, in General Motorsport https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[Jake899]

Danny has underperformed this year, there's no doubt that for whatever reason Lando is putting him to shame. But there also should be no doubt that he's a great driver, and IMO deserving of a seat for at least another year. If Stroll and Latifi can have a seat, F1 ought to give Danny Ricc a years worth of clemency at least.
Its supposed to be the 20 best drivers in the world, and if I was making a new F1 team, there's at least 6 current drivers who would come after DR on the list.

[Piginapoke]

Jake899 said:

Danny has underperformed this year, there's no doubt that for whatever reason Lando is putting him to shame. But there also should be no doubt that he's a great driver, and IMO deserving of a seat for at least another year. If Stroll and Latifi can have a seat, F1 ought to give Danny Ricc a years worth of clemency at least.
Its supposed to be the 20 best drivers in the world, and if I was making a new F1 team, there's at least 6 current drivers who would come after DR on the list.

But you wouldn’t be paying them £20m

[realjv]

F1 is brutal and no matter how much people might like Danny Ric ultimately the only thing the matters is performance on track and this is year 2 of getting thumped by his teammate. In the tight midfield battle McLaren can't afford to be giving up points, as it is Riccardo's under performance is probably going to result in them finishing 5th rather than 4th in the constructors championship. The thing is he's been at McLaren now for 1.5 seasons (35 races) and it's looking any better in 2022 vs 2021: -

2021
Points Score
LAN 160 (60%)
RIC 115 (40%)

Quali Head to Head
LAN 14 (63%)
RIC 8 (37%)

Race Finishes Head to Head
LAN 15 (68%)
RIC 7 (32%)

Podiums
LAN 4 (80%)
RIC 1 (20%)

2022
Points Score
LAN 76 (80%)
RIC 19 (20%)

Quali Head to Head
LAN 11 (85%)
RIC 2 (15%)

Race Finishes Head to Head
LAN 9 (69%)
RIC 4 (31%)

Podiums
LAN 1 (100%)
RIC 0

Whether an unproven (in F1) Piastri is a better bet for 2023 is hard to say but longer term it definitely looks like the right bet. If you leave Ricciardo in the car for '23 who would you sign for '24? Driver performance is very important for motivating a team and whilst you can talk the talk and say everyone is working hard etc it does eat away overtime.

[Pflanzgarten]

realjv said:

Riccardo's under performance is probably going to result in them finishing 5th rather than 4th in the constructors championship.

This has to be the major sticking point, even if they can only find someone who is a couple of tenths slower than Lando they’ll be onto a winner.

[Tazar]

I wish that McLaren could concentrate on F1 rather than be thinking about the various other categories they are racing in. I’m not a fan of Zak Brown and think Ron Dennis could have made a better job of running the team long term with his clinical approach. Unfortunately the money men didn’t agree.

[suffolk009]

Jake899 said:

Danny has underperformed this year, there's no doubt that for whatever reason Lando is putting him to shame. But there also should be no doubt that he's a great driver, and IMO deserving of a seat for at least another year. If Stroll and Latifi can have a seat, F1 ought to give Danny Ricc a years worth of clemency at least.
Its supposed to be the 20 best drivers in the world, and if I was making a new F1 team, there's at least 6 current drivers who would come after DR on the list.

If Ricciardo's dad was worth $3.2bn I suspect his seat in F1 would be secure.

[suffolk009]

Tazar said:

I wish that McLaren could concentrate on F1 rather than be thinking about the various other categories they are racing in. I’m not a fan of Zak Brown and think Ron Dennis could have made a better job of running the team long term with his clinical approach. Unfortunately the money men didn’t agree.

Ron Dennis had his time at the top. Things change and Ron's management became sub-optimal for McLaren. In fact, the days of the all-powerful team principal have gone. Ron, Frank, Eddie all the other greats, never again.

[parabolica]

Jake899 said:

Its supposed to be the 20 best drivers in the world

No it's not; never has been never will be for as long as money is a major factor.

But I do agree with your point about Danny Ric; he deserves a clean season in a competitive car but it has never worked out that way for him.

[Nigel_O]

What's the difference in prize money between 4th and 5th in the constructor's championship? Essentially, this is what Danny's underperformance is likely to cost them, and I have a feeling the difference is going to be more than Danny's salary.

Edit - looks like its about $5m, so not as much as I thought

Edited by Nigel_O on Thursday 18th August 12:52

[PhillipM]

Nigel_O said:

What's the difference in prize money between 4th and 5th in the constructor's championship? Essentially, this is what Danny's underperformance is likely to cost them, and I have a feeling the difference is going to be more than Danny's salary.

Edit - looks like its about $5m, so not as much as I thought

It's probably as much again in sponsorship money too however.

[Aids0G]

McLaren as a whole were to my eyes in 2020 and 2021 a team with this great feeling of momentum around them, going places and reestablishing itself as a force in on the grid.

2022 it feels like they have slipped, which in car performance terms yes they have clearly but I do fear despite him not having a good season DR is slowly becoming McLaren’s new Honda PU, the single excuse for a poor performance when there are lots of other factors at play.

I really want to see McLaren at the top of F1 but it feels like their trajectory is slipping downwards right now and I’m not sure a driver change will fix it.

[entropy]

suffolk009 said:

Tazar said:

I wish that McLaren could concentrate on F1 rather than be thinking about the various other categories they are racing in. I’m not a fan of Zak Brown and think Ron Dennis could have made a better job of running the team long term with his clinical approach. Unfortunately the money men didn’t agree.

Ron Dennis had his time at the top. Things change and Ron's management became sub-optimal for McLaren. In fact, the days of the all-powerful team principal have gone. Ron, Frank, Eddie all the other greats, never again.

F1 teams have grown necessitating hierarchical structures and layers of authority requiring expertise. Over a decade or so ago Lawrence Stroll and Zak Brown would have been Team Principles for their respective teams just as Vijay Mallya was at Force India but have hired people to specialize in that role

Ron/McLaren 2.0 was arguably a disaster. He wanted Honda in F1 a year earlier which meant all the testing which would have been done behind closed doors was out in the public with the ritual humiliation of the first year with Honda. Yes, Alonso played his part but Ron knew what he was going to get with Alonso, he's been there before.

Also losing out on sponsors by over-estimation of McLaren's worth; not wanting Button even though Button arguably still had something to offer racing wise as well as being well liked by sponsors and boardroom.

[Pflanzgarten]

There's got to be an epic book in Ron's second stint as TP at McLaren, the man knows all there is to know about running sporting teams and corporations and yet it all still went so wrong.

I still have no idea why he didn't let someone else take the Honda engine as a B Team.

[carinaman]

As posted in Silly Season thread, seems McLaren paid him out of his contract. Free agent for 2023.

[Jasandjules]

carinaman said:

As posted in Silly Season thread, seems McLaren paid him out of his contract. Free agent for 2023.

Yes I just saw a "breaking" - he will not be driving for McLaren in 2023.... Not seen confirmation yet.... I wonder if Piastri will now tweet...


ETA - Sky F1 now reporting

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/12680562/d...

Edited by Jasandjules on Wednesday 24th August 15:30

[Big Nanas]

McLaren have official announced it on their Twitter, and Danny Ric has posted a video about it.

[Fundoreen]

Grrr Alonso etc etc