McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo hopes the new cars will “actually bring a new era to Formula 1” but expects drivers to adapt quickly
Next month, the new Formula 1 cars for the 2022 season will experience their baptism of fire in Barcelona at the first of two winter tests. So far, the drivers only know them from the simulator. But already now it is becoming apparent across the driver ranks that everyone is preparing for significant differences.
“I think they will be of a different calibre, also because the cars will be so much lower,” explains McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo in an interview with ‘auto motor und sport’. “Obviously, Formula 1 cars have looked like dragsters for years. Now they’re going to look more like Formula 2 cars with much lower tails.”
And with consequences: “I think that will have an impact on roadholding and handling on kerbs. I’m sure it will have an impact on the balance. The feeling in the car should be quite different,” Ricciardo looks ahead.
Ricciardo: “In Formula 2 we will see exciting races “
In any case, the McLaren driver hopes that the new cars will “really usher in a new era of Formula 1”. Admittedly, the past season was “unbelievable”, the Australian holds. “But there are still tracks where it’s very difficult to get behind and overtake.”
“I hope that will be different with the new cars. In Formula 2 we see quite exciting races. Of course, all the cars are the same there. But I think some of the rules could help Formula 1 with their problem. And that’s the direction it’s going in now,” he again draws the comparison to Formula 2.
It will be a change for the drivers, but Ricciardo doesn’t expect things to be more turbulent because of it, especially at the start of the season. “I think we drivers are good enough to be there more or less straight away,” said the 32-year-old.
More test days: drivers will be able to adapt quickly
“As the season progresses, we will fine-tune ourselves in parallel with the development of the cars. Last year, in retrospect, it was quite difficult for me with only one and a half days in the car before the start of the season. With three days in the winter tests, it’s still twice as many. Therefore, it should be fine.”
Testing will take place in Barcelona from 23-25 February and in Bahrain from 10-12 March. “That’s also where the season starts a week later. That helps. So in a way the first race weekend will be an extended test for all of us.”
Ferrari racing boss Laurent Mekies had stressed in an earlier interview in relation to the new cars and the return of the ground effect: “The balance is more difficult, the difference between high and low speed is more difficult. So I think it will be more difficult for the drivers at the beginning.”
“It will be interesting to see how this will affect the performance of the riders. We have seen in the past that riders have done very well with one set of regulations and struggled more with another or the tyres. “
