Ricciardo dreaming of 'collaborative shoey' at home race

Daniel Ricciardo's prime objective in Melbourne next weekend is to put on the board his first points of 2022, but secretly, F1's local hero is dreaming of a podium finish in his home race and a "collaborative shoey".

McLaren has suffered a difficult start to its 2022 campaign, mainly on the account of a new-generation car that is crucially lacking downforce.

The Woking-based outfit's engineers are hard at work trying to solve the plight impacting the MCL36, but Ricciardo has already warned that it will take time to significantly improve the performance of McLaren's contender.

Progress was noted however in Saudi Arabia, where Lando Norris finished P7. And Ricciardo believes it wasn't by chance that his team's car performed better in Jeddah than first time out in Bahrain.

"At Bahrain, the first race of the year, we were definitely struggling," he said, speaking in Melbourne on Wednesday.

"It was quite a twisty technical track, then we went to Saudi, a lot more flowing. I think it is much more like Melbourne is going to be like this weekend, and we were a step more competitive.

"So hopefully it means good things."

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Ricciardo is keeping it real ahead of his home race. Australia's favourite racing son is targeting first and foremost a top-ten finish. Anything that comes his way beyond that - like a podium - will be a bonus, although one that would make him happy.

"Honestly, as simple as it sounds, I don’t have any points yet," said the 32-year-old. "It’s only been two races but to get into the points is a start — that’s like a bare minimum.

"But realistically the only thing that’s probably going to make everyone happy is a podium, so that’s what I would love.

"Don’t get me wrong, I want it so bad. And I think it would be the first shoey I ever do where I wouldn’t be alone.

"I am pretty sure I’d look down at the crowd and there would be others doing it with me. So a collaborative shoey would be the dream."

Regardless of how his home race will treat him on Sunday, Ricciardo admits that racing once again in Australia after a two-year hiatus caused by the global pandemic is enough to make him happy.

"I think once it's gone, you realise how much you miss it," he said. "And that's really the feeling.

"To be so close a couple of years ago, and we were all here ready to go. I went to bed that night, ready to wake up the next morning and hit the track, and it was in the middle of the night that I heard it was very likely going to get called off. Yeah, pretty heartbreaking.

"That's obviously from the selfish point of view as a driver, but for everyone that was here and expecting to see a race, obviously, Australia is quite remote, so for Aussies to travel to other destinations around the world for races isn't easy. It was hard on everyone, so I'm very happy to be back here."

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