Hurt Daniel Ricciardo Reflects on Getting Lapped by Lando Norris at Monaco

In motorsport, getting put a lap down is part and parcel of racing. However, if the person doing the lapping is a teammate, then it is one of the most humiliating things for a driver. If the car is facing problems, then that could be a valid excuse. However, in the case of Daniel Ricciardo, his car was in perfect condition for racing.

So, when Lando Norris lapped him, it must have been very awkward for McLaren and Ricciardo. In light of this, the Australian driver opened up about his struggles this season and the Monaco race. When he was forced to let his teammate pass, Ricciardo simply surrendered the place without a fight.

He said, “I just put my hands up, so to speak. What should I do? Generally it never feels nice to be lapped. To be honest, the race was already very painful by then. That was a weekend to forget.”

Daniel Ricciardo will definitely seek redemption

So far this season, Ricciardo has been struggling to adjust to life in his new team. While he is far from the only one, the 31-year-old seems to have been the worst case. So far, his best-ever finish came in the 2021 Spanish Grand Prix when he took sixth place. That was also the first time he ever defeated Lando Norris on the racetrack, with the Briton finishing eighth.

In the end, while Norris enjoyed himself on the podium, poor old Ricciardo could only muster 12th. Admittedly the damage to the constructor’s championship was mitigated with the absence of Charles Leclerc. As a result, McLaren holds a two-point lead over Ferrari. However, that kind of luck could potentially run out soon and Ricciardo needs to pull up his socks.

Next weekend, the F1 community touches base at Baku in Azerbaijan. This is a track where Ricciardo has had mixed results in the past. This includes a win in 2017, though he crashed out in the last two visits to the street circuit. Safe to say, if all goes well, the Australian should have a good run at the track.

READ MORE: Ricciardo Not Confident of Matching Norris’ Skills Amid McLaren Troubles