Daniel Ricciardo thinks his McLaren team’s fight with Ferrari has been a “cool story” for Formula 1 as the two traditional rivals battled for third place in the 2021 constructors’ championship.
After placing sixth the year before, a resurgent Ferrari had a far more competitive 2021 season, challenging McLaren for third place, which the Woking team took in 2020.
For the majority of the season, a close battle between McLaren and Ferrari ebbed and flowed until the Scuderia pulled ahead in the final third of 2021 to finish third.
It was a fun next chapter in one of F1’s most storied rivalry, which has spanned decades. Confrontations between James Hunt and Niki Lauda in the 1970s, Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost in 1990, and more recently Michael Schumacher and Mika Hakkinen, or Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa in 2008, are among the most famous McLaren-Ferrari battles.
Ricciardo, who had a low-key debut season with McLaren, said his team’s struggle with the Maranello team was “a good tale” for F1.
“That it’s Ferrari, from the outside it’s a cool story that these two teams have had a few low years and two of the biggest teams ever,” Ricciardo said.”And now they’re coming back and they’re fighting it out. If only it was for P1! I think that’s really the story I’m sure many fans want.”
“And now they’re coming back and they’re fighting it out. If only it was for P1! I think that’s really the story I’m sure many fans want.”
Ricciardo acknowledged that his team’s fight with Ferrari provided them distinct and solid aims to seek throughout 2021, despite the fact that Mercedes and Red Bull both proved out of reach for the two giants.
“Having something to fight for is usually better,” the Australian explained. “I believe it would be less entertaining if we were in this lonely struggle for third and Red Bull and [Mercedes] were too far ahead, and Ferrari was too far behind.
“That’s been helpful because I enjoy having an objective and something to chase. We’ve certainly concentrated some of our efforts on them, ostensibly in the hopes of defeating them, but that’s probably more of a team effort.
“I think once the helmet is on and the lights go out on Sunday, it doesn’t matter what colour the car is, if you think you can beat them, you’re going to attempt to beat them,” he said.
“It doesn’t really change the act behind the wheel, but I think having that target and that competition creates a little bit more for the team… I don’t want to use the word incentive, but there is a goal, so every weekend you have something to strive towards, and that prevents any of us from being complacent.”