Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren, Silverstone, 2021

Race-winner Ricciardo gives McLaren ‘a reference we were missing for two years’

RaceFans Round-up

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In the round-up: McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl says Daniel Ricciardo’s experience as a race-winner will provide a useful benchmark for the team.

What they say

McLaren has not had a race winner in its line-up for the past two seasons, but that has changed this year with the arrival of Ricciardo alongside Lando Norris:

I’m absolutely convinced that we have a very strong driver line-up again this year. We wanted to get Daniel on board because both what we have seen from him in terms of speed in qualifying and also how he’s racing, he’s a reference we were missing in the last two years. He has shown in the past that he can win races if we give him the right material, which I guess is important for us to make the next step also as a team.

But he will also be a great reference for Lando. Lando is going now into his third year so we expect from him again to make the next step. He already made a good step from the first to his second year.

From what I have seen so far from Lando, it’s very, very encouraging in terms of what we see within the team. It is clear we treat both drivers the same. I do my job, we do our job as a team. If we make sure that we give, in the end, both guys the same opportunities to do well on-track and to battle it out between them on-track, that’s the philosophy we are having within the team. I think that’s working well. And it’s very encouraging to see so far how both Daniel and Lando were approaching this new chapter together.

Quotes: Dieter Rencken

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Comment of the day

Sergio Perez’s reputation for being easy on his tyres wasn’t always the case, notes @Tifoso1989:

From what I recall from Perez’s time at the Ferrari Driver Academy when he used to test with the Ferrari F60 (2009). One test was a head to head against Jules Bianchi in the same car in the same day. Luca Baldisserri later stated that Perez was indeed an aggressive driver which is a bit [contradictory] to the fact that he is gentle on the tyres.

However, the Pirellis being tyres with a lot of longitudinal grip and little lateral grip adapt perfectly to his driving style. Bianchi on the other hand, having raced in F3 more than Perez, manages to better control the rear of the car. Therefore, he is not a driver that only uses the longitudinal grip of the tyres and the car. He is not a late-braker but he rather tends to put a lot of speed in curves.
@Tifoso1989

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On this day in F1

  • 40 years ago today Johnny Rutherford won the opening round of the 11-race CART IndyCar series in a Chaparral 2K run by Hall Racing

Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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52 comments on “Race-winner Ricciardo gives McLaren ‘a reference we were missing for two years’”

  1. What a quip to Sainz by McLaren! Forgot he had the first McLaren podium in a whike and got that 2nd place in Italy as well?

    1. Not really a quip, a statement of fact. Dan is a proven race winner, sainz while he may have stood on the podium has not been on the top step in F1.

      1. Sainz has never had the car performance to win, either… Certainly not under normal circumstances, anyway.
        It’s yet another nothing comment in F1-related media.

        1. I agree with Ross and “S” here @omarr-pepper – I think this is not quip towards Sainz but rather just a statement of fact.

          Had McLaren been able to give Sainz a race winning car, I am sure he would have had a chance or 2 to become one in the last 2 years!

    2. @omarr-pepper Indeed. Seidl is right in that Sainz isn’t a race winner, but still.

    3. @omarr-pepper it is just a standard PR statement to justify the signing of Ricciardo to the share holders and public. Ricciardo has a recent history in a race winning team and is a proven race winner against strong teammates so he’s a good yard stick to measure the performance of the car and the other driver. Obviously the usual caveats might apply around if the car suits his style or not initially.

    4. If Sainz only reads headlines he certainly wouldn’t be happy but Seidl even starts with “I’m absolutely convinced that we have a very strong driver line-up again this year.” What he’ll actually get information on this year is where Lando fits in the talent spectrum and how his car is. By interpolation he’ll get info on how good Sainz was but that’s probably not immediately useful to him.

  2. I wasn’t aware of Charparral 2K but the 2J is one of my favorite cars ever made.

  3. Headline Made me think Marc Marquez.

    Tarso, now that’s a name i haven’t heard in a looong time…

  4. With RaceFans’ new found political profile with endless social justice messages, I expect a similar barrage of messages against F1 promoting places like Saudi Arabia, one of the worst countries in the world on human rights, otherwise it’s just simple virtue signaling.

    1. “but what about this, but what about that.”

      1. And we all know that he would keep looking for a reason to complain – he accuses Keith of being too left wing if he does say anything, and uses whataboutism if he doesn’t.

        Funny also that he attacks Keith for having too much politics when it is a position he is angry about, but will then use it as a way of attacking him when he does what he demands and doesn’t say anything.

      2. ‘Whataboutism’ Word used as a controlling technique against comparative arguments

        1. People use the word so they don’t have to justify their hypocrisy.

          1. No they use it because straw men cannot argue a point without using the tactic.

    2. We have already seen Kieths neutral position on Saudi Arabia regarding humans rights. So no, i dont think you will get your wish.

    3. Racefans is not the problem, not even F1.

      Every business and sport in the world “forgets” human rights when there is enough money involved. Cash is king.

      1. So it resolves to those that don’t have a vested interest to highlight the issue whenever they can.

        1. @didaho Does that extend to sports journalists though? I’d like to see Formula 1 journalists as a whole simply boycott coverage of Formula 1 racing in Saudi Arabia out of solidarity with their murdered colleague Jamal Khashoggi.

          1. @david-br As with in-country politics, journos have accreditation and access at stake at the least. So I’ll take whatever they can give but certainly feel the rage building if presented with PR pieces.

    4. Maybe better educate yourself on the reason for Mercedes’ tweet? If you’re that triggered by it, maybe also consider your own unconscious bias when it comes to racism and belatedly do some reading on the topic.

      1. Pretty much this, anyone who gets this angry over anti racism tweets probably needs to think about why awareness being raised is a problem for them. If you’re not racist then why would you have an issue with people raising awareness about it. You only have to look at the driver line up and most of the pictures week in week out in the garages to see that F1 is seriously lacking in diversity and as such conversations about systemic racism and discrimination need to be had around the sport. I applaud this site for not just ignoring the issue.

        1. @slowmo

          Do you really want awareness about all racism raised?

          What about the large-scale (hate) crimes by black Americans against Asian-Americans?

          Of course, the media conspicuously avoid pointing out that the perpetrators are extremely disproportionately black, nor do they ask the question whether racism is a or the motive. Yet when a white person shoots up Asian brothels where the evidence points to anti-sex worker animus, this is immediately framed as an anti-Asian hate crime, because that’s what the media does: they threat people differently based on their race, which is itself…racism.

          1. @aapje what about…..yawn

            Ignore all the specific hypothetical situations and answer a simple question. Should anyone be silenced for raising awareness about discrimination, be it race, sex, body size, disability, etc, etc?

            If the answer to that question from you includes a but then we have nothing further to discuss and I know precisely the sort of person I’m talking to.

          2. @slowmo

            No and you are simply attacking a straw man.

            I’ve seen no one argue that people should be silenced. It is the woke people that are silencing people.

      2. Attacking me as racist for pointing out blatant hypocrisy is beyond lame. Practically comical.

        If anyone needs to educate themselves it’s clearly you. First find out if the biggest problem in the sport is systematic and blatant racism, or the promotion and legitimization of the worst regimes in the world.

        Then find out the relative reaction of F1 media and specifically this site. When you have found that out, find out the meaning of hypocrisy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypocrisy and virtue signaling. THEN make a comment relative to my mine.

        1. @balue well given the number of Black and female drivers in F1 it would appear a pretty big issue with the sport. Even more so when looking at those groups across the entire teams and the representation in F1. The fact you consider the issue less important than other human rights issues is just your opinion. There is also nothing wrong with supporting both movements as important to F1, its not only one orbthe other you can fight on. Clearly you seem to have a specific argument against the anti racism message though.

          1. @slowmo

            When are we going to fix the anti-white racism in the NBA?

          2. @aapje whataboutism again, really???

            We were specifically talking about in the context of F1. Do you actually think there is no systemic racism in motorsport? What point are you arguing because all it appears is you’re denying racism is an issue with the sport. Racism is a bigger issue in a wider context but the sport can only raise awareness and try to clean up its image with the power it has.

          3. @slowmo

            Systemic racism is the kind of foolish language used by the same people that think that whataboutism is a good rebuttal.

            You know nothing.

          4. @aapje I think I know plenty and have you’re number. Whataboutism is a perfectly fine rebuttal for someone who is unable to debate in a coherent logical manner and as is finally proved, actually had no valid point from the off. The fact you cannot answer the question I posed pretty much proves your motives, it was a yes or no question.

          5. @slowmo

            Systemic racism is a term that people like you use so you don’t have to give evidence for your claims, by demanding that others disprove that systemic racism exists. However, that is not how normal debates work, where the person who claims that something exists, has to provide evidence.

            So please, first give your definition of systemic racism and then give the evidence that it exists…

          6. @aapje no the issue is you’re in denial of systemic racism in society and even when proof is provided to you, it would be rejected. There are numerous links on what the term systemic (or institutional) racism is and the definition and it’s pretty much irrefutable that it’s an issue.

            To educate yourself on what systemic racism is then tried reading something like the below:
            https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Institutional_racism

            If you want evidence for example of actual figures that show what systemic racism can mean then there are numerous articles such as:
            https://www.benjerry.com/whats-new/2016/systemic-racism-is-real

            It’s worth noting that when a actual constructor in the sport thinks it’s an issue and the only black driver in Fq has gone on the record about the racism he experienced throughout his career from grass roots through to F1 it’s pretty laughable to pretend you know better than them.

            So now please do educate the world on how systemic racism doesn’t exist.

          7. @slowmo

            So you have no evidence of systemic racism in F1. Good to see you admit it.

          8. @aapje See previous comment “even when proof is provided to you, it would be rejected”

            My evidence is the statements from Lewis Hamilton himself who actually states he has experienced systemic racism in motorsport. I proved the existence as you asked and yet here you are in denial as I predicted.

          9. @slowmo

            He has said that he experienced racism in karting and that was only comments by racers and/or their parents. That isn’t evidence for racism in F1 and it isn’t evidence that he faced institutional racism that held him back.

            If you want to show that black people are kept from being racers by racism, rather than a lack of interest, poverty or a bunch of others reasons, you have to show causality. And if you want to argue that there is racism in F1 specifically, you actually have to show it for F1.

            You have no idea what proper evidence is.

            PS. Newspapers regularly publish anti-white articles nowadays. So is there institutional racism against white people, then? Of course, I know that you will deny this, because you are a dishonest, racist person who doesn’t apply his standards equally.

          10. @aapje
            Ah so now its the mainstream media are all corrupt with their articles about racism. Somehow everyone else is wrong except you?

            You’re wrong though, Hamilton has gone on the record about racism he has suffered in F1.
            https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/jun/21/lewis-hamilton-commission-increase-diversity-in-motor-sport-formula-one

            “I’ve been fighting the stigma of racism throughout my racing career, from kids throwing things at me while karting to being taunted by fans with blacked-up faces at a grand prix [in Spain in 2008], one of my first Formula One races,” Hamilton said.

            Or there is this if you don’t trust the newspapers:
            https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.hamilton-to-launch-new-commission-to-improve-diversity-in-motorsport.8DlIzozQPvhJVszUuz4WN.html

            Maybe this site might help you stop spreading lies and misinformation about what Hamilton actually has experienced:
            https://www.hamiltoncommission.org/

            It doesn’t matter what evidence I provide to you, you’re not willing to accept you’re wrong and the only measure you have to say my point is wrong is denying what someone who actually has experience of systemic racism says about F1 and motorsport in general. A witness statement is accepted as evidence in any court in the world. You’re completely deluded mate.

            Please do provide your evidence of a anti-white article posted in a newspaper as you have clearly made your claim now.

            I think anyone reading the thread can decide for themselves who they might brand racist between the two of us. What a sad little world you must live in.

          11. @slowmo

            None of your evidence shows systemic racism, where it is part of the system of F1. If you are going to claim that there is a serious problem of systemic racism, rather than racism by individuals who are not part of a system, then you actually have to prove the systemic part as well.

            That’s what you get for using big words, you then need to provide big proof.

            If you actually want to claim that racism exists in society and incidentally impacts F1 (which is not the same as it being part of F1!), then make that claim.

          12. @slowmo

            The Spain example actually shows that anti-racism is systemic to F1, as F1 took a lot of measures to prevent that from occurring again.

            Systemic discrimination is if the system’s rules or the people in power discriminate, facilitate it, or possibly if they allow it to persist (depending on how reasonable it is for them to intervene). None of that was present in Spain 2008.

            Non-systemic discrimination is if the discrimination happens by people without power and despite the rules.

            Conflating the two seems to be a systemic issue with the woke ideology.

          13. @aapje yes it does prove it but you cannot accept you’re wrong. Given you’ve already used whataboutism twice in this debate and resorted to calling me a racist because it went so bad for you it pretty much proves a point.

            You don’t get to make up the rules of systemic discrimination. If it exists in society and F1 as an organisation have done nothing to redress that inequality then they’re supporting that system.

            You’re wrong and I’ll not respond to your deluded points further.

          14. @slowmo

            If you define individual acts of racism as systemic discrimination, then there is a lot of discrimination by PoCs and/or against white people.

            Yet you guys never count that as systemic discrimination, because you are fundamentally dishonest.

    5. Zach (@zakspeedf1team)
      22nd March 2021, 9:19

      With the exception of Hazel, Racefans has been critical of the Saudi Arabia F1 race. I also wish there was more focus on not only Saudi Arabia but also China, Russia, and Bahrain.

      1. You can add at least Azerbaijan and Turkey to the steps of the podium of shame.
        Australia has certainly scored points in the last 10 years.

      2. @zakspeedf1team and the US, UK, etc – countries that have in recent times created far more misery and destruction for the world than any of those you mention. Add Brazil too – they elected a fascist. And Spain, oppressing millions of their own people for daring to want independence. In fact, if one brings politics into it, hardly any country comes out smelling of roses. So let’s just stick to the sport!

        1. Zach (@zakspeedf1team)
          22nd March 2021, 12:14

          Everything is political, even sport, especially sport so you’re wrong there. The race hosts have already politicized F1 a long time ago, sport and politics are very tightly intertwined.

          Yeah, of course bad things happen in every country, that’s not what’s at stake here. Imagine if any driver spoke out against the Uighur genocide in China the way Lewis Hamilton spoke out against police brutality and racism in the US. That would be an epic fallout, calls for boycott, millions if not billions of losses due to the “hurt feelings” in China. At least there is some transparency and some accountability in places like the US, UK and Spain even though the level is of course much too low. Places like China and Russia and Saudi Arabia have no accountability and no transparency at all.

          1. @zakspeedf1team No, not everything is political, so you’re wrong there. F1 is a bunch of cars driving round in circles. Nothing more.

            And you’re wrong about Russia at least; people there know what is going on in their country and the world, it’s just there’s not much they can do to influence it. As for US/UK accountability and transparency… well, tell that to Julian Assange.

            Saudi Arabia is a unique case in that it isbso much worse than the others, really stands alone among race hosts there. As for the other countries – they’re all much of a muchness.

    6. @balue Something of a double-bind given the Saudi Arabian regime’s response to journalistic critique is death and dismemberment.

      The only stance I can personally make is to take zero interest in the race weekend. I refuse to acknowledge its legitimacy and agree with you, for once, that everything Formula 1 has said about BLM and the rest is devalued by racing in a country run by such an atrocious regime.

  5. An interesting COTD.

  6. This website should have stayed with the name F1F or open wheel racing cuz Racefans is a bit of a lie considering that a bunch of races happened last weekend IMSA, Nascar and so on but only we have the controversies on F1 on the site.

    >Is Hamilton this? Is Mazepin that? What is best clout of blue?<

    1. This would be a valid comment if they hadn’t had to change the name because FOM enforced their F1 trademark. But alas.

    2. Maybe Keith thought that people would be more interested in other forms of motorsport that what colour Hamilton’s trainers were. But the comment section clearly shows that’s not the case. So he’s just giving us what we clearly want.

    3. There is a mention of S5000, but not the good racing from V8 Supercars. That first race… :) find highlights and bookmark 5:14

Comments are closed.