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Daniel Ricciardo has confessed that a points finish at the 2022 F1 Australian GP is the best he and McLaren can hope for, given the current state of their car.
After a dismal start to the season in Bahrain and an inopportune DNF, Ricciardo is hoping for a "little victory" in what will be his first home race in three years.
Speaking in an interview about the race at the revamped Albert Park Circuit, Daniel Ricciardo said:
"It's going to be flowing and quite fast, especially [with] the changes they made. Perhaps that comes to us again and maybe we could fight for points. I mean, I know that's not aiming very high, but that's really all we can aim for [right] now. Until we get some big updates, I think anything inside the top 10 we'll take as a little victory."
The last Australian GP in 2019 was a forgettable affair for Ricciardo. The 32-year-old's debut with Renault ended in a DNF.
"It is important to stay positive" - McLaren working non-stop to improve Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris' cars
McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl has stressed the importance of staying positive after a tough start to the 2022 F1 season.
The German engineer admitted that the team back at Woking was working night and day to bring improvements to the McLaren MCL 36.
Speaking in an interview after the 2022 F1 Saudi Arabian GP, Seidl said:
“As you know, these cars are complex and it is not easy to make something happen from one day to tomorrow. But again, I am very pleased to see the reaction of the team back home. Everyone is working flat out day and night in engineering, in production in order to get us back on track. I am very happy to see how everyone is dealing with the situation and it is important to stay positive. We know we can do it.”
Seidl also apologized to Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris, admitting that they deserve a better car than the one that featured in the first two races of the season.
McLaren's road to redemption starts at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne when the 2022 F1 Australian GP race weekend gets underway on April 8. The race will be held on Sunday, April 10.
