For McLaren boss, Andreas Seidl it's a question of 'Stay Calm & Keep Learning' as Daniel Ricciardo continues to adjust to the MCL35M.

If finishing twelfth in Monaco wasn't bad enough, the fact that he was lapped by his teammate while on his way to podium was the absolute killer for Daniel Ricciardo, the Australian subsequently admitting that it has never happened to him before in F1.

One of several drivers still adjusting to their new teams, Monaco marked a new low for Ricciardo, who won in Monaco in 2018.

Team boss, Andreas Seidl is adamant that the root of the Australian's issue with the MCL35M is that it requires a different driving style to what the Australian is used to, and that he must adapt accordingly.

"In order to drive our car fast at the moment, you need a special driving style, which is not natural for Daniel," says the German. "That's why it's not easy for him to get the laps in and to extract the performance.

"We have to stay calm, keep analysing, keep learning," he insists, "so he can further adapt to our car because obviously the potential is there.

"His race was pretty much done after Turn 1 when unfortunately, he lost two positions," Seidl admits. "Then there was no chance anymore to fight back into the points.

"There were periods in the race when he had free air where he could actually show what he's able to do around Monaco," he added, Ricciardo having posted the fourth fastest lap of the race.

"It's important to simply put this weekend behind us together with him and then simply continue our journey in Baku. If you look back since the beginning of the season, we have made good steps forward with him."

Norris, who finished third on Sunday, believes that Ricciardo is less adaptable to a change of driving style than his previous teammate, Carlos Sainz.

"I think their driving styles are quite different, or very different, I would say," said Norris. "There's a lot of differences between them both.

"Daniel, from what I've seen so far, he wants a car that really suits him maybe a little bit more. Carlos was good at driving a car which wasn't always that nice to drive, and he was very good at that.

"Daniel's very, very fast when he has the car around him and when everything's suited. But as soon as there's a couple of problems, I think just as most drivers do, as soon as you lose that bit of confidence, then you just struggle a little bit more.

"I don't think that's just with him, that's just something that some drivers have more than others, it is a confidence thing."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Bill Hopgood, 26/05/2021 19:55

"It is one of those quite surprising things that all the cars are designed to the same formula yet have such different characteristics.

Ricciardo is a professional so it is just a matter of time before he gets to grips with how the McLaren philosophy works, Norris has been there and done that.

I've been impressed with Sainz for years and it is clear that he's the Red Bull driver that got away, though one can't blame that team for letting him go as Ricciardo was at Red Bull at the time.

Since Toro Rosa (where I thought he was better than his team mate) Sainz has spent two years at Renault and two at McLaren, perfect preparation for his Ferrari career, driving wise.

Hulkenberg also did well getting to grips with the Racing Point seeing as he'd had almost three years away from that team.

Vettel, I'm still not so sure about at Aston but last weekend seemed better for him.

Once Perez gets Saturday sorted, Red Bull may well get the constructors' this year.

Let's see what Baku throws up for those that moved teams."

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2. Posted by Mad Matt, 26/05/2021 16:08

"I've enjoyed watching Lando since his Ginetta Junior days but I agree with Daniel that he isn't a second a lap slower than Lando.

I hope they can get him settled in soon and we can see some close racing between the pair of them."

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3. Posted by kenji, 26/05/2021 14:12

"The mystery continues...It would be interesting to see how Ricci would perform in Norris's car as a perfect comparo. Surely it would only take a minimum of adjustment. That way it could be analysed to see if there are any chassis variances. Ricciardo hasn't lost his driving skills and a driver who has demonstrated that he can drive a 'wounded' car to a spectacular win around the streets of Monaco just a few years ago knows how to drive a car with major problems. At least by doing this it would eliminate one area of concern."

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"We have to stay calm," insists Seidl

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