P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Daniel Ricciardo’s F1 career was effectively over after being released by McLaren – but what went so drastically wrong for him?
Daniel Ricciardo’s F1 career took a major hit in August 2022 when McLaren opted to pay him not to race in 2023. Without a seat due to his low F1 stock, Ricciardo returned to Red Bull as the third and reserve driver for the 2023 season. Despite an unexpected opportunity at AlphaTauri after Nyck de Vries was let go, Ricciardo struggled to recapture his past success. His inability to adapt to the machinery, particularly the unique traits of the 2021 McLaren, hindered his performance compared to teammate Lando Norris, who managed to overcome the car’s challenges. Ricciardo’s downfall was further exacerbated by the transition to heavier ground-effect cars in 2022, leading to a decline in form that he couldn’t shake off.
