Ricciardo is ready to seize the opportunities in Baku
On a circuit he particularly enjoys, Daniel Ricciardo said he is ready to seize the opportunities that will arise in Baku. And judging by the recent editions of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, there could be many of them.
Struggling since his arrival at McLaren last year, Daniel Ricciardo is still searching for a standout race this season. While last year one could legitimately think that his victory at Monza was one, in 2022, the Australian is having a series of disastrous weekends.
With a sixth-place finish as his best result, in front of his home crowd on the Melbourne circuit, Ricciardo is not finding any solutions. This weekend, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix takes place on the unique circuit in the streets of Baku. A unique track where the Honey Badger emerged victorious in 2017, during the second appearance of the Azerbaijani event on the calendar.
Ricciardo admits it himself, he greatly appreciates this track. « I am a big fan of the Baku circuit, it has some interesting features and it’s always a great battle coming into turn 1, where you often find yourself with three cars side by side. »
The native of Perth hopes to achieve a great performance on a circuit he loves and that often provides great opportunities through unpredictable events. « There are several different ways to play with the strategy this weekend, but the starting position on Sunday will be important, even with the overtaking possibilities offered by the longest straight line on the calendar. »
These opportunities, Ricciardo says he is ready to seize them on Sunday. There is always a part of unpredictability on street circuits, so I am ready to take advantage of any opportunity that comes my way. While Monaco wasn’t exactly what I wanted, I am confident that we can continue to move forward and make the most of this weekend.
Last year, despite a completely crazy end to the race, the Australian could only bring back two points from ninth place.
