Daniel Ricciardo recently disclosed that he held an “open book” meeting with his team at RB to address his challenging start to the season. Aside from a notable performance in Miami, where a new chassis helped him qualify and finish fourth in the sprint, Ricciardo’s season has been largely disappointing.
After a subpar performance in Monaco, finishing 12th, Ricciardo engaged in thorough discussions with his engineers and close associates to understand why he was underperforming compared to his teammate, Yuki Tsunoda. By that point, Tsunoda had secured five top-10 finishes in his last six races, while Ricciardo had yet to earn any points from a grand prix.
Speaking to the media, including RacingNews365, Ricciardo explained his introspection process: “I always examine the on-track factors—can I brake later here, or make adjustments there. But after Monaco, I also considered other elements impacting my performance. Am I arriving at race weekends not feeling energized or missing something?”
Ricciardo described his self-reflection after Monaco as “good self-therapy,” scrutinizing his actions away from the track. He pondered whether he was overextending himself, leaving him drained by race day despite knowing he had the potential to perform well.
“We constantly try to fine-tune the car, but deep down, I know what I can do. It’s about ensuring I’m in the right mental and physical state to do it consistently,” Ricciardo noted. He emphasized his commitment to personal accountability and broadening his perspective to improve his overall performance.
