Daniel Ricciardo didn't think his 2022 season could get any worse, but an afternoon spent among the laggards in last Sunday's Dutch Grand Prix proved him wrong.
The McLaren driver was knocked out of qualifying on Saturday as early as Q1 after failing to find the couple of tenths he needed to make the cut.
Instead, Ricciardo was left to start his race a lowly P17, while his teammate Lando Norris – who has had the measure of the Aussie all season – lined up in P7.
The outgoing McLaren charger made no progress on race day, gaining just one spot at the start but ending his day where he had started it - in 17th place - after another disillusionment for both himself and his team.
"I feel like there's been a lot of bad [races]," Ricciardo said. "I say it's the worst, and I didn't think it could get worse."
And yet the Honey Badger had initiated his weekend on Friday with a good feeling after he was informed by McLaren race engineer Tom Stallard of a good run in first practice.
"It's weird as well, because I think back to FP1, I remember the first few laps of the session and Tom was like: 'alright, that's P1.', and I was like: 'alright.'
"Not everyone had set a time, but I felt it was trending to be a much better weekend. And that's where it's a weird one.
"I know qualifying got away from us through the last corner, but I felt like we were looking a much better car or in a better place after the first practice session.
"So yeah, tough, but certainly not a good weekend."
Ricciardo's plans for 2023 have yet to become clear. While potential options for the Aussie to continue racing in F1 next season exist with Williams and Haas, and perhaps Alpine if the team's efforts to recruit Pierre Gasly prove unsuccessful, a year on the sidelines is a scenario that is gaining momentum.
On Sunday at Zandvoort, before the Dutch Grand Prix' drivers' parade, Ricciardo was heard telling Red Bull's Sergio Perez, "…take a year off and come back in 2024…".
In the interim, Ricciardo heads back to Monza this week, the scene of his remarkable win with McLaren a year ago at F1's Temple of Speed.
"I’ll try to bring back last year’s magic," Ricciardo said after last Sunday's race.
We hope he does…
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