Daniel Ricciardo and McLaren have not endured the best of starts to the 2022 campaign. The Australian’s results in particular have been disappointing, to say the least. And during the inaugural Miami GP, Ricciardo struggled to compete and as a result, only finished P13 on an evening where his team needed points.

However, Miami’s heat was grueling for all the drivers, without a doubt. The 32-year-old revealed he did not have the fluid needed in his drinks bottle as McLaren looked to reduce the weight of the car. With new regulations, a more notable consequence is the increased importance of weight, which has seen teams struggle quite hard.

The Woking-based outfit has already taken several measures to comply with the weight restrictions. Ricciardo revealed this decision by McLaren made him struggle throughout the race.

Daniel Ricciardo reflects on McLaren’s decision to reduce weight

Daniel Ricciardo’s race was unspectacular until the very end. McLaren needed a result from the Honey Badger after Lando Norris’ unfortunate crash. However, he finished P11 and ended up in P13 because of a 5-second penalty.

The heat played a part according to the Australian, as did McLaren’s decision about reducing the fluid in his drink bottle. He said, “Yeah, it’s got that heat factor to it. It’s tough as well, because I mean, everyone’s obviously fighting for that last bit of weight.

“So we don’t have the luxury of putting three litres in the drink system. So we have a little bit, and it’s never enough fluid. So naturally, you’re gonna get dehydrated. And yeah, this heat was was pretty real.”

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This is not the first time the British team has taken drastic measures to reduce weight. During the Imola GP, they stripped off paint and the fans spotted the black carbon fiber in many areas of the car’s bodywork.

Daniel hopes McLaren can improve in Barcelona

With five races completed, Ricciardo is certainly not enjoying the initial part of the season. He only scored points in his hometown and will hope the Barcelona circuit offers him a chance to improve.

Speaking on the circuit, he said, “It’s still hard to say. But I really hope it’s better than this weekend, we were certainly a bit more on the back foot.”

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The former Red Bull driver finished 6th in this venue last year. However, the car’s inconsistent performances and some unfortunate luck have not helped Ricciardo so far. As the season progresses, he will look to improve on his performance.

Where will the Australian finish in Barcelona? Leave your predictions in the comments.