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Seems like it’s an interesting article… But it’s behind a paywall
Any interesting bits?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Suggesting that he may be a slow burner, but not lacking seriousness about F1. Until recently he was having a crisis of confidence, by his own admission and that he was entering each grand prix plagued with self doubt until this year.
Now he is focussing on himself and being more dedicated.
Slow-corner performance was a limiting factor early on, a consequence of running a slightly longer wheelbase than the likes of Ferrari, Red Bull and AlphaTauri. As with the long-wheelbase Mercedes, the MCL35M is naturally a little more reluctant to rotate towards the apex of such corners.
Confident that it can take the fight for third in the championship to Ferrari, McLaren has ploughed resources into addressing these shortcomings through a series of updates in Portugal, Spain and Monaco, centring around a new front wing and revised floor."
It suggests that trail braking sensitivity is the issue with these cars and the Norris has a handle on that whereas Ricciardo doesn't.
Seidl states that Norris is “an integral part of our recovery plan”
Regarding the self doubt he has suffered over the past two seasons, it is what I was referring to last year when I said you could see he is not his own man yet and that in terms of mental strength he is not there, that by addressing that he would unlock his real potential. He wasn't a joker because he was a cad or not taking it seriously enough, it was nervous energy and self doubt and the joker was a character to hide behind. And my remarks over the course of the previous season were never meant to undermine him or to detract from him, but it seemed fairly obvious that he wasn't yet driving from his own balls, if you'll forgive that expression!
That makes what Sainz did during podium interviews kinda hard. It was ofcourse meant as a joke but you could see Lando wasn’t enjoying it at all. Now with knowing this I think it must have been really hard for him to acknowledge that feeling and actually answering to it. Or am I the only one seeing it like that?
Seems like it’s an interesting article… But it’s behind a paywall
Any interesting bits?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Suggesting that he may be a slow burner, but not lacking seriousness about F1. Until recently he was having a crisis of confidence, by his own admission and that he was entering each grand prix plagued with self doubt until this year.
Now he is focussing on himself and being more dedicated.
Slow-corner performance was a limiting factor early on, a consequence of running a slightly longer wheelbase than the likes of Ferrari, Red Bull and AlphaTauri. As with the long-wheelbase Mercedes, the MCL35M is naturally a little more reluctant to rotate towards the apex of such corners.
Confident that it can take the fight for third in the championship to Ferrari, McLaren has ploughed resources into addressing these shortcomings through a series of updates in Portugal, Spain and Monaco, centring around a new front wing and revised floor."
It suggests that trail braking sensitivity is the issue with these cars and the Norris has a handle on that whereas Ricciardo doesn't.
Seidl states that Norris is “an integral part of our recovery plan”
Regarding the self doubt he has suffered over the past two seasons, it is what I was referring to last year when I said you could see he is not his own man yet and that in terms of mental strength he is not there, that by addressing that he would unlock his real potential. He wasn't a joker because he was a cad or not taking it seriously enough, it was nervous energy and self doubt and the joker was a character to hide behind. And my remarks over the course of the previous season were never meant to undermine him or to detract from him, but it seemed fairly obvious that he wasn't yet driving from his own balls, if you'll forgive that expression!
Edit: Casting my mind back a few weeks, I recall a post in which someone on here did suggest that it was Trail braking where the issue lay, was it Ground Effect? I don't recall, might be interesting to find that set of posts again or for that person to pop their head up.
Seems like it’s an interesting article… But it’s behind a paywall
Any interesting bits?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Suggesting that he may be a slow burner, but not lacking seriousness about F1. Until recently he was having a crisis of confidence, by his own admission and that he was entering each grand prix plagued with self doubt until this year.
Now he is focussing on himself and being more dedicated.
Slow-corner performance was a limiting factor early on, a consequence of running a slightly longer wheelbase than the likes of Ferrari, Red Bull and AlphaTauri. As with the long-wheelbase Mercedes, the MCL35M is naturally a little more reluctant to rotate towards the apex of such corners.
Confident that it can take the fight for third in the championship to Ferrari, McLaren has ploughed resources into addressing these shortcomings through a series of updates in Portugal, Spain and Monaco, centring around a new front wing and revised floor."
It suggests that trail braking sensitivity is the issue with these cars and the Norris has a handle on that whereas Ricciardo doesn't.
Seidl states that Norris is “an integral part of our recovery plan”
Regarding the self doubt he has suffered over the past two seasons, it is what I was referring to last year when I said you could see he is not his own man yet and that in terms of mental strength he is not there, that by addressing that he would unlock his real potential. He wasn't a joker because he was a cad or not taking it seriously enough, it was nervous energy and self doubt and the joker was a character to hide behind. And my remarks over the course of the previous season were never meant to undermine him or to detract from him, but it seemed fairly obvious that he wasn't yet driving from his own balls, if you'll forgive that expression!
That makes what Sainz did during podium interviews kinda hard. It was ofcourse meant as a joke but you could see Lando wasn’t enjoying it at all. Now with knowing this I think it must have been really hard for him to acknowledge that feeling and actually answering to it. Or am I the only one seeing it like that?
I actually think Sainz will have been very good for him as a team mate in a way, he didn't pressure him too much and was gentle in a brotherly teasing k ind of way, he gave Lando space and didn't try to break him. It was fair and very sportsmanlike, but with hard racing.
Both the team and Sainz gave Lando space to find his feet, and they will have known he was struggling find "his way" of getting through everything. But as anyone who has had mental issue might know, that space is not always good because it can be hard to come out of your safe place, some people respond better by not being given that space. But I feel nothing but admiration for him because he did, he stood up, took up the challenge v Daniel and drove the boots off the car and he will feel better and more complete now in his life also.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, even in Daniel is not getting the most out of the car right now, he will be a great influence for Lando. Lando will still have a long way to go to get his mind in the right place to be a perennial contender(Look at Hamilton), and I think Daniel is a great role model for that next step.
Daniel has been a highly regarded driver and is going through a bad patch. How you deal with that and how you react to it is paramount. This will inevitably happen to Lando at some point and I am certain he will not disregard it.
Seems like it’s an interesting article… But it’s behind a paywall
Any interesting bits?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Suggesting that he may be a slow burner, but not lacking seriousness about F1. Until recently he was having a crisis of confidence, by his own admission and that he was entering each grand prix plagued with self doubt until this year.
Now he is focussing on himself and being more dedicated.
Slow-corner performance was a limiting factor early on, a consequence of running a slightly longer wheelbase than the likes of Ferrari, Red Bull and AlphaTauri. As with the long-wheelbase Mercedes, the MCL35M is naturally a little more reluctant to rotate towards the apex of such corners.
Confident that it can take the fight for third in the championship to Ferrari, McLaren has ploughed resources into addressing these shortcomings through a series of updates in Portugal, Spain and Monaco, centring around a new front wing and revised floor."
It suggests that trail braking sensitivity is the issue with these cars and the Norris has a handle on that whereas Ricciardo doesn't.
Seidl states that Norris is “an integral part of our recovery plan”
Regarding the self doubt he has suffered over the past two seasons, it is what I was referring to last year when I said you could see he is not his own man yet and that in terms of mental strength he is not there, that by addressing that he would unlock his real potential. He wasn't a joker because he was a cad or not taking it seriously enough, it was nervous energy and self doubt and the joker was a character to hide behind. And my remarks over the course of the previous season were never meant to undermine him or to detract from him, but it seemed fairly obvious that he wasn't yet driving from his own balls, if you'll forgive that expression!
Edit: Casting my mind back a few weeks, I recall a post in which someone on here did suggest that it was Trail braking where the issue lay, was it Ground Effect? I don't recall, might be interesting to find that set of posts again or for that person to pop their head up.
That was me I think, go back a page or two and you’ll see a link etc to that effect.
Mclaren have made improvements to the car, but it’ll be hard for them to fix the trail braking issue this year. Personally, I think next year will be the true test.
The 2022 car will be such a radical departure that whoever gets on top of it first will drive the development direction.
I've mentioned the sensitive trail-braking characteristics a couple of times recently too, it's evident from observing onboards and data traces. There's a narrow window of it's effectiveness. Having others see it too just confirms this to be the case in my mind.
I reckon sim racing has a lot to do with Lando overcoming it, driving other cars (albeit virtually) broadens your skillset. I think back to my own experiences in iRacing, I found the sweet spot trail-braking in the Skip Barber single seater. All of a sudden I found myself winning a series championship against some really quick guys, as I was simply able to carry more speed through the corners. Not comparing this directly, but I feel I can appreciate the situation more because of it.
Xero wrote:I've mentioned the sensitive trail-braking characteristics a couple of times recently too, it's evident from observing onboards and data traces. There's a narrow window of it's effectiveness. Having others see it too just confirms this to be the case in my mind.
I reckon sim racing has a lot to do with Lando overcoming it, driving other cars (albeit virtually) broadens your skillset. I think back to my own experiences in iRacing, I found the sweet spot trail-braking in the Skip Barber single seater. All of a sudden I found myself winning a series championship against some really quick guys, as I was simply able to carry more speed through the corners. Not comparing this directly, but I feel I can appreciate the situation more because of it.
I’m in a similar boat… I have had a couple of race cars, each very different from the previous one and it was necessary to adapt to all of them in a different way to extract more from them.
I also Sim Race every once in a while (I haven’t had a chance of doing so in IRacing and mostly by using GT for it)… And I also believe that the fact that Lando is so into it, driving different types of cars, with different balances and adjusting to each one of them could be what is giving him an edge today in order to adapt to the MCL35M, which seems to be a very different car to the MCL35.
Daniel Ricciardo's debut at McLaren has been surprisingly tough. We talked to the Australian about what's so difficult about adapting his usual driving style to his new car.
Do you already feel at home in your McLaren?
Ricciardo: I'm on my way there. Every now and then I have clean laps, but even then I feel in retrospect that there are still corners where I could have done better. So I can't say I've solved the problem yet. There is still a bit of a lack of absolute confidence. I can definitely say that since the French GP, I no longer have the old Renault in my head when I drive the McLaren.
Did you also find the switch from Red Bull to Renault so difficult?
Ricciardo: There I had the feeling from the beginning that I could keep my old driving style and just have to get used to the fact that the Renault has a bit less grip than the Red Bull. Comparing the Renault and the McLaren, the differences from the car are greater. The McLaren has its strengths and weaknesses, but somehow my natural driving style doesn't seem to harmonize with it. Either how I turn into the corners on the brakes or how I step on the gas. The car doesn't react to it the way I'm used to. That's why my switch to McLaren is a bit more challenging than the one to Renault. In the first step, I tried to understand why my driving style doesn't work in all corners. In the second, I tried to learn new techniques. This process is complicated by the fact that there are corners where I can follow my instincts, as always, and others where I have to think in advance about how I need to drive to fully exploit the strengths of the McLaren.
How do you have to understand that?
Ricciardo: The Renault was strong in slow passages, for example. The McLaren, on the other hand, is incredibly good in fast corners. I still have to learn to take full advantage of my car's strengths and not overdrive it where it's not so good. That's an adjustment process. Probably the most difficult in recent years. It takes time. More than I would like. There are still moments when I ask myself: Why doesn't the car like it? And then you have to force yourself to drive the way the car would like.
Which part of the task takes longer? The understanding or the adapting?
Ricciardo: Both are equally difficult. There are moments when I come out of a corner and think to myself: Very good! One lap later, I'm taking the same turn and thinking: Not good at all! There's understanding and adaptation involved.
As a racing driver, do you initially resist changing your driving style? Which of your strengths did you have to give up to meet the demands of the car?
Ricciardo: The secret is the balance between the two. I've had success in this sport for the last ten years and I don't want to suddenly give up everything that got me there. That's why I'd like to keep using my instincts. On the other hand, it would be stubborn to say: The way I do it is right. I have to learn to acknowledge the facts. When I look at Lando, I can see that the car works very well with a different driving technique. That's why I keep an open mind and try to adapt. At the same time, I'm working with the engineers to set up the car so that we can also use some of my strengths.
Is that crucial with a view to 2022?
Ricciardo: I'm preparing myself for the fact that the situation won't be any different next year. That's why I'm trying to get a better understanding of what the current car requires of me and how I can implement it. Just in case it will be the same next year.
Can you describe your driving style? What are your strengths?
Ricciardo: I'd have to show you data now and explain where the finer points are. The team probably wouldn't be too happy if I revealed too many details. Roughly speaking, I have a very high minimum speed in a corner when I can drive the way I want. To do that, I have to be able to throw the car into the corner and trust it to stick to the road. Sounds simple, but it's not.
It sounds like the problems Sebastian Vettel had at the end at Ferrari or initially at Aston Martin, or now Sergio Perez at Red Bull. Turn-in on the brakes doesn't seem to work the same way with the modern cars. Are the tires to blame or the pointy aerodynamics?
Ricciardo: I would say more the tires. Pirelli changed the design of the front tires and a few other things, and immediately everything felt very different. At first I thought it had to do with the different aerodynamics of the cars. But Lando himself says that the McLaren is harder to drive this year than last year. The funny thing about the tires is: In some laps it works quite well, you have maximum grip and do good lap times and sometimes you don't even know why. Then suddenly it doesn't work at all, even though you haven't done anything different. That can be quite frustrating.
What's different at McLaren than at Red Bull and Renault?
Ricciardo: At McLaren, I was impressed from the first minute by the care with which work is done there. There are more conversations, more briefings. They really check off everything that needs to be checked off. That's not to say the other teams don't do the same, but at McLaren it's all taken up a notch. Maybe because they've made such good progress in recent years and they don't want to jeopardize that positive trend now. I get an answer to every question. Usually immediately, but definitely a few days later. Every problem is followed up to the last detail.
Are the processes as different as the cars?
Ricciardo: I would say the cars are more different than the teams.
Could it be that team boss Andreas Seidl brings a breath of fresh air because he previously worked in a different area of motorsport?
Ricciardo: I like Andreas. There are certainly advantages to having worked in another field in between and then returning to Formula 1. Endurance racing is something totally different, but I think you can learn a lot from it. Even I as a driver learn things from other sports, be it training methods or mental attitude. Andreas has been in motorsport for a long time, but he thinks with a fresh approach, almost like a 20-year-old. Always looking for: What can we do better, what can we do differently? It's not what worked five years ago that counts, but what works today. That's how the younger generation thinks. And that's successful.
Your teammate Lando Norris is an avid sim racer. You keep your hands off it. Can that be a disadvantage?
Ricciardo: I've thought about it. At the beginning, I always said: I don't want to have a simulator at home because I have something better to do on the free weekends. These virtual races have never excited me. But I don't want to be narrow-minded here either. Maybe it really is a help. That's something you'd have to find out. It could be that you learn something in the process, but you also pick up bad habits. But Max, Lando, and Charles are very active in that, and maybe it does help. It's still not my thing, but I'm not going to ignore it but give it a try.
You recently said that you have to accept that you won't be world champion five times. Is one title enough for you?
Ricciardo: Five is still theoretically possible, but one would be an absolute madness. The title has always been my dream. But I never said I wanted to break Senna's records or win the most titles. I'd be happy with one.
Suggesting that he may be a slow burner, but not lacking seriousness about F1. Until recently he was having a crisis of confidence, by his own admission and that he was entering each grand prix plagued with self doubt until this year.
Now he is focussing on himself and being more dedicated.
Slow-corner performance was a limiting factor early on, a consequence of running a slightly longer wheelbase than the likes of Ferrari, Red Bull and AlphaTauri. As with the long-wheelbase Mercedes, the MCL35M is naturally a little more reluctant to rotate towards the apex of such corners.
Confident that it can take the fight for third in the championship to Ferrari, McLaren has ploughed resources into addressing these shortcomings through a series of updates in Portugal, Spain and Monaco, centring around a new front wing and revised floor."
It suggests that trail braking sensitivity is the issue with these cars and the Norris has a handle on that whereas Ricciardo doesn't.
Seidl states that Norris is “an integral part of our recovery plan”
Regarding the self doubt he has suffered over the past two seasons, it is what I was referring to last year when I said you could see he is not his own man yet and that in terms of mental strength he is not there, that by addressing that he would unlock his real potential. He wasn't a joker because he was a cad or not taking it seriously enough, it was nervous energy and self doubt and the joker was a character to hide behind. And my remarks over the course of the previous season were never meant to undermine him or to detract from him, but it seemed fairly obvious that he wasn't yet driving from his own balls, if you'll forgive that expression!
Edit: Casting my mind back a few weeks, I recall a post in which someone on here did suggest that it was Trail braking where the issue lay, was it Ground Effect? I don't recall, might be interesting to find that set of posts again or for that person to pop their head up.
That was me I think, go back a page or two and you’ll see a link etc to that effect.
Mclaren have made improvements to the car, but it’ll be hard for them to fix the trail braking issue this year. Personally, I think next year will be the true test.
The 2022 car will be such a radical departure that whoever gets on top of it first will drive the development direction.
I just googled trail braking and realised it was what I was calling in a non technical expression, braking into the turn. This certainly looks part of the issue. But whilst they will try to make the brakes more suited to Daniel, I do think that the issue is that yes they may be tricky, but Lando has a better and more refined feel for where the limit is under braking and is not afraid of locking up going into the corner.
You can call it a tricky car or you can call it a lesser talent for these brakes, or somewhere between the two, depending on how you are feeling about Daniel!
I just googled trail braking and realised it was what I was calling in a non technical expression, braking into the turn.
It's not quite braking into the turn, but braking through the turn. When you modulate the brake through a turn there is a small shift in balance from rear to front, resulting in more pitch/rotation. You are effectively steering the car through the pedals as much as the steering wheel with this. The sweet spot I talk about is finding the point where the car rotates in a controlled/balanced manner. Too much or too little can cause understeer and oversteer respectively, as well as affect your cornering speed. I can only imagine how hard this must be to do in an F1 car, would be extremely sensitive.
I just googled trail braking and realised it was what I was calling in a non technical expression, braking into the turn.
It's not quite braking into the turn, but braking through the turn. When you modulate the brake through a turn there is a small shift in balance from rear to front, resulting in more pitch/rotation. You are effectively steering the car through the pedals as much as the steering wheel with this. The sweet spot I talk about is finding the point where the car rotates in a controlled/balanced manner. Too much or too little can cause understeer and oversteer respectively, as well as affect your cornering speed. I can only imagine how hard this must be to do in an F1 car, would be extremely sensitive.
Thanks for that Xero, every day is a school day
It makes perfect sense and sounds even harder than I was thinking, still testament to Landos feel for the brakes and the car though, which seem superhuman.
Norris Ricciardo Ghost Qualifying Comparison | 2021 Austrian Grand Prix
This is an alternative way of comparing qualifying laps.
This is not 100% accurate and has been done by eye.
Comparing the qualifying laps of the McLaren teammates. Both laps were performed on the soft (C5) compound tyre with Ricciardo setting his in Q2 while Norris set his in Q3.
The time delta was 0.951s.
Norris qualified P2, Ricciardo qualified P13.
FYI - Ricciardo loses a lot of time locking up his front right at turn 4.
