Daniel Ricciardo fears McLaren problems 'not an overnight fix'

Ricciardo in Saudi Arabia — Photo: © LAT Images

Daniel Ricciardo

Ricciardo fears McLaren problems 'not an overnight fix'

McLaren scored no points in the season opener

Topher Smith & Ian Parkes

Sunday 3 April 2022 11:00 Updated: 17:59

Daniel Ricciardo has conceded there is "not an overnight change" that would push McLaren back up the F1 order after a disappointing start to the season.

After starting the year with a score-less season-opening race in Bahrain, Lando Norris registered McLaren's first points by finishing seventh in Saudi Arabia as Ricciardo retired in the closing stages.

Although McLaren enjoyed a more positive weekend in Jeddah, the team was still running interim brake ducts in a bid to get on top of one of a number of issues.

"Yeah, I mean, there has to be [a fix], that's what we work towards," said Ricciardo.

"We'll keep working towards it until we get to see the light if you will. So, you know, I think it's going to be a bit of a process.

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"It's not an overnight change, it's not a change that can happen in the space of a week, you know, so maybe this circuit maybe plays more to our car and we do a little better."

McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl has acknowledged the team's current package is 'lacking performance".

Agreeing with this assessment, Ricciardo added: "I think we have some kind of bigger changes to address to get us really in a, let's say, top-five position, but that's what we have to work harder now than ever to get there.

"So at some point, we'll get there."