Daniel Ricciardo believes McLaren's ongoing development should put him in a "prime spot" to contend for the world title in F1 in 2024.
Last month, McLaren Racing boss Zak Brown set a 2024 deadline for the Woking-based outfit to have completed its infrastructure buildout, at which point the team will have "no excuses" according to Brown if it isn't winning races.
Currently the team is relying on an ex-Toyota facility in Cologne for windtunnel testing, while its driver-in-loop simulator is said to have originally been one of the first of its kind and now the tool is just hanging on thanks to software updates.
Not withstanding his current struggles to adapt to McLaren's Mercedes-powered MCL35M, or the duration of his contract with the papaya squad that runs until the end of 2023, Ricciardo projects being able to fight for the world crown after the next two seasons.
"I understand that the team is on a great trajectory, but now there are still a few hurdles in place that are probably going to stop us, let's say, fighting for a championship for the next year or two," Ricciardo said, quoted by Motorsport.com.
"But it is a bit of a reality now that the wind tunnel is a pretty big piece of the puzzle. It might be the last piece of the puzzle for the team.
©McLaren
"I think me, looking at it now, I really look to just to try and keep building on where I am now over the next couple of years with McLaren, and then hopefully put myself in a prime spot for that '24 season.
"It sounds crazy to talk that far ahead. But yeah, sometimes you've got to think like that."
Ricciardo admitted that amid his current struggles and the inability to fight for race wins on merit, he's been forced to adapt his mental approach and create a diverse set of minor targets to sustain his motivation.
"In a way you have to change a little bit," he explained. "I don't know its mindset, goals, target, but you have to create different victories in your mind where a victory might not always be first place.
"Going back to last year a victory at Renault was getting that car onto the podium. I knew if I was able to do that it would give me that satisfaction.
"So ultimately, yes, nothing beats winning and that's what I signed up for when I was young trying to do all this.
"I know you're only going to win if you're in that top team or maybe those four cars a year. If you're not, you've got to set other targets for yourself and keep your stock high, keep your motivation high.
"It's probably the only sport in the world that has such a low win percentage. Like… I'll refer to a team sport - 50 percent of the time you're winning. Where F1, I dunno, my win ratio is probably like two percent or something. It's crazy. You find other ways to enjoy it I guess."
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