Late breaker Ricciardo still seeking 'the limit' with McLaren

Daniel Ricciardo says he's still trying to get on top of McLaren's brakes, but the Aussie is confident he'll be able to put in "some late ones" once he's fully up to speed.

As one of Formula 1's greatest overtakers, Ricciardo has thrilled fans over the years with his signature moves and late lunges against his rivals.

But for Ricciardo to be able apply his special skills demands a complete confidence and familiarity with his car's brakes, a boldness that requires an inevitable period of adaptation when changing teams.

And McLaren's recruit is still getting acquainted with his outfit's MCL35M's characteristics when it comes heavy braking.

"It is certainly different again," said the 31-year-old ahead of this weekend's season-opening round in Bahrain. "So, I am still probably adapting or adjusting to that.

"I think going now from Red Bull to Renault, and Renault to McLaren, probably the braking, it's maybe the biggest thing which you need to adapt.

"I think that that's one as well where I'm still trying to get on top of it and understand where the limit is of the car.

"But yeah, I think generally, like in the past couple of years, it looks like they've [McLaren] had a pretty good car on braking.

"So I think that once I'm up to speed, it should be a pretty good one. And hopefully we'll see some good passes from me again. Some late ones."

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Overall, Ricciardo is confident going into his first race with McLaren and beginning a new chapter in his ten-year career in F1.

And the seven-time Grand Prix is looking to "hit the ground running" in Bahrain.

"In my first few months at McLaren the team has made me feel right at home in such a short space of time," he said.

"I feel confident and comfortable going into the new season, which is important as I want to get the most out of the car right from race one.

"As a team we made the most of pre-season testing with some smooth running. It was great to get to grips with the MCL35M in just the few days that we had to put it through its paces.

"I think, naturally, it takes a bit of time to adjust to a new car, but I’m feeling prepared to hit the track come Friday.

"This season looks like it’s going to be a competitive one, but I’m looking to hit the ground running, leave nothing on the table, give it my all for the team and hopefully give the fans something to smile about."

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