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No point over-analyzing Monaco struggles – Ricciardo
Daniel Ricciardo is keen to avoid over-analyzing his struggles in the Monaco Grand Prix after being lapped by teammate Lando Norris during Sunday's race.
Norris continued his strong form this season with fifth on the grid in Monaco and went on to convert that into a second podium of the year after Charles Leclerc and Valtteri Bottas hit trouble. Ricciardo, by contrast, was 12th on the grid and finished there after losing out to Kimi Raikkonen early on.
“It is a weekend to forget,” Ricciardo said. “It is something we want to analyze and understand. But part of me also thinks I want to get away for a few days and not over-analyze it. I don’t know what I’ll do yet. Obviously I will look into it, but I do not want to drive myself crazy. It was just a weekend that never really got going. Hopefully we will find some answers, but just try to move forward now.
“This year there have been races where I think I have to find a bit more, but this weekend was more of an anomaly, such a big difference, and getting lapped it might be the first time, so I don’t know what to say. I will definitely look into it, but with a weekend like this, and as far off as I was, best just to step away for a few days.”
Ricciardo lists Monaco as one of his favorite venues but joked that he wishes he hadn’t shown up for the first race at the venue in two years, after also struggling significantly during qualifying.
“I wish I never came!" he said. "I’m choosing to laugh about it now. It was a miserable weekend, but I just want to forget. From my side. Obviously the other side and the rest of the team, they got a podium out of it and they nailed it. So congratulations to them. It was not all miserable, but from our side I want to forget. Try to move on and hopefully we find some answers, but to be that far off is a bit of an anomaly.
“There were a few laps on the hard (tires) where I had some clear track. I do not know the tire situation, but I think I was quickest on track at that point. So there was some moments of positivity. But with the medium at the beginning, I was really nowhere. I could feel like I was skating, and I did not know what was going on. I was trying to find the grip and it was slippery.
“We will move on to Baku. Sometimes when the weekend is this bad it is kind of easier to deal with it and move on, because it is so far off that you are like put it in the bin and let’s go. That’s what I think I will do.”
Chris Medland
While studying Sports Journalism at the University of Central Lancashire, Chris managed to talk his way into working at the British Grand Prix in 2008 and was retained for three years before joining ESPN F1 as Assistant Editor. After three further years at ESPN, a spell as F1 Editor at Crash Media Group was followed by the major task of launching F1i.com’s English-language website and running it as Editor. Present at every race since the start of 2014, he has continued building his freelance portfolio, working with international titles. As well as writing for RACER, his broadcast work includes television appearances on F1 TV and as a presenter and reporter on North America's live radio coverage on SiriusXM.
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