Ricciardo confident McLaren has 'more performance to unlock'

©McLaren

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With each passing session, Daniel Ricciardo is feeling more comfortable with his new McLaren MCL35M from which more performance is set to be unlocked according to the Aussie.

Ricciardo was disappointed to trail McLaren teammate Lando Norris in Bahrain, the two men finishing the opening race of 2021 respectively P4 and P7.

However, it was later revealed that Ricciardo's car had suffered floor damage early on in Sakhir as a result of a contact with AlphaTauri's Pierre Gasly, a slight handicap that encouraged the Honey Badger to put his performance into perspective.

"I completely expected it to take a few races to feel comfortable in the car, but I’m feeling better after race one than I have done at the same point in previous years, so that’s really promising," said Ricciardo.

"I was a bit unfortunate with the damage we found on the car after the race, and there’s still a few more things to learn and get to grips with, which takes a bit of time.

"But given that, I’m confident we’ve got a lot more performance left to unlock. We’ve been working hard back at the factory to understand how we can build on that solid start.

"Imola’s up next and we’re going to give it plenty."

Read also: Ricciardo really hopes 'the s*** hits the fan' in 2022

Ricciardo returns to the picturesque Italian track just five months on from a podium finish - his second in 2020 - with his former team, Renault. And he'll certainly be spurred on by that positive memory next weekend.

"I’m really excited to be heading back after last year’s race where I finished on the podium," he said.

"It’s an iconic old-school track with a fast and flowing layout that provides little room for error.

"I’m definitely planning on bringing that experience from last year to help the team this weekend and fight for those points."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.