#the silver lining of the whole mclaren debacle has been to make him aware of what his weaknesses are but also more importantly

[rickybaby]

T: Daniel Ricciardo has a history with the team as well and you worked with him 10 years ago when it was Toro Rosso. How has he changed in the time he has been away?

M: You walk in the team, you see Daniel and you see the race winning guy. You see in the car the guy who has been hunting for races and podiums. The Daniel you see in the car is the Daniel who was fighting for the very top position. For whatever reasons, I'm lucky to have in our team right now a race winning guy. The Daniel we have now is the best Daniel we have seen. Of course, he has had a rough patch in the last few years, but ironically, it's probably putting him now in the best mindset, in the best spirit, in the best energy. He has this incredible technical sensitivities. He's buying into the project, he's living Visa CashApp RB with us, he's proud of the colours. He's pushing us with all the positivity we know about him. In the start of a project like that, having a guy like Daniel with us driiving the car is a game-changer.

T: Have you talked to him about the rough patch?

M: It's very difficult from the outside to understand it [...] but i would lie if I was not telling you that this increases the attention level that we have in making sure we have the right condition around him. So we are very careful with him and he is part of that process. He is driving that process in making sure we put him in the right spot, 360* in what define in the car and outside of the car and how we manage this energy.

#when i keep saying that the Daniel of now goes racing with so much intent!! #the silver lining of the whole mclaren debacle has been to make him aware of what his weaknesses are but also more importantly #what his strenghts #what makes him the fast driver he knows he can be #and the way he is so careful to lean into that now!! #and to have a team that's willing to put the work in to give him what he needs!! #he is still the daniel that dragged that dogshit renault to places it shouldnt have been!!! #daniel ricciardo #laurent mekies #byg