Felipe Massa: Criticism should not disturb Riccardo

Felipe Massa, a former Formula 1 driver, sympathizes with Daniel Ricciardo, who is struggling to feel comfortable behind the wheel of a new McLaren car, but believes the Australian can overcome any difficulties.

There are already rumors that the team could end its services earlier than planned – especially after McLaren Racing CEO Zach Brown said Ricciardo’s three-year contract contains clauses that allow it.

Perhaps the Brazilian knows what he’s talking about, because over the years he played in teams like Sauber, Ferrari and Williams, he also had different periods and came under fire on more than one occasion.

“I think when you’ve reached the level that Daniel Ricciardo has reached – and he is a great racer, and the level of his skill is incredibly high – you can ignore such talk,” said Massa. – These conversations mean little compared to what he can do on the job. He needs to focus on his job whether he has a contract for next year or not. Now it doesn’t matter.

This is not the problem he should be concerned about right now. The problem is different: you need to understand how to enjoy the work, how to achieve the desired results.

Ricciardo’s best finish so far this season remains sixth at the Australian Grand Prix, while he has failed to finish 12th in other races. At the same time, there is no doubt that with the MCL36 you can fight for higher positions, as Lando Norris regularly proves, who scored 37 points more than his partner.

Massa suggested that Riccardo hasn’t enjoyed the race lately, but he’s sure Daniel will get that feeling back, and we’ll be seeing his signature smile for a long time to come. According to the rider himself, the criticism only arouses in him a desire to improve the level of the results – meaning that we can hope that he can still turn the tide.