Ricciardo ordered 'to chill' after taking on "rookie" status at McLaren

Daniel Ricciardo has revealed his frustration at the time it has taken him to become familiar with his McLaren while his team treats him "like a rookie".

After struggling for pace in the opening two grands prix of the season in Bahrain and Imola, Ricciardo struck a vein of form during Friday practice for the Portuguese Grand Prix, finishing the second session ahead of team-mate Lando Norris.

When asked by Sky Sports F1 if his struggles were purely a case of enduring a bedding-in period, Ricciardo replied: "Yeah, it is.

"It is hard to take because I am a border-veteran of the sport now and I am like 'Why should I need time?'

"I am obviously experienced coming into this team and everyone is treating me like a rookie and in a way, it is true because I am a rookie in this car and in this environment.

"I am certainly not a rookie. After Imola, I was upset I couldn't do a little better but Andreas [Seidl] and Zak [Brown] were like 'Chill dude, it is going to come'.

"I am going to try not to chill too much but I know it will come eventually."

After improving from 12th to eighth between the two practice sessions in Portimão, Ricciardo suggested he is on the verge of turning the corner and improving his fortunes.

"I think it was a better day for me personally," he added. "I felt like I got on with it from the start of FP1 and I think the feeling and signs I had from today are what I hope to be inevitable and what we will get over time.

"Today it feels like I took a step forward. Just my confidence in the car and my ability to hang it out a little bit more."

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