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David Coulthard slams Ferrari’s ‘dog of a car’ and predicts McLaren glory for Daniel Ricciardo

David Coulthard has gone against the majority and described Daniel Ricciardo’s turbulent time at Renault as an essential part of his F1 journey and one that will see him take McLaren to the next level.

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Former Formula One star David Coulthard has predicted Daniel Ricciardo will provide the catalyst to take McLaren to the “next level” when he joins the team next year.

But Coulthard was not as optimistic about the immediate prospects of Ferrari, declaring the Racing Point team had a better chance of winning a race this year than the Prancing Horse’s ‘dog of a car’.

Coulthard said Ricciardo had every reason to be the happiest of all the F1 drivers on the move looking ahead at his prospects for 2021 and beyond.

McLaren has made an encouraging start to the rebooted Formula One season, sitting third in the constructors’ championship behind Mercedes and Red Bull Racing, while Ricciardo’s soon-to-be new teammate Lando Norris is fourth in the drivers’ standings.

Coulthard said McLaren was on the rise and Ricciardo would be key in helping them take the next step to becoming an F1 force again.

“McLaren are on the up, I think in many ways Daniel will be a catalyst for the next phase of that journey,” Coulthard told the In the Fast Lane podcast.

Daniel Ricciardo will help take McLaren to the “next level” according to former F1 star David Coulthard.
Daniel Ricciardo will help take McLaren to the “next level” according to former F1 star David Coulthard.

“He has got an energy and a personality, with the greatest respect to Carlos (Sainz) and the greatest respect to Lando, who are both great racing drivers and polite and they get the role that they have, which is not just about driving – you’ve got to communicate, you’ve got to make your team gel.

“But I think Daniel is one of those few drivers, who has a Tasmanian devil-type energy … he just lights up a room, he brings an energy and he has got commitment behind the steering wheel. He is one of the best racers out there.

“I think McLaren will go ‘Whoa, hold on a minute. We thought our sails were filled with wind, but we’ve got Daniel Ricciardo now’ and he’ll just scoop them up and take them to the next level.”

McLaren has made an impressive start to the rebooted F1 season and sits third in the constructors’ championship.
McLaren has made an impressive start to the rebooted F1 season and sits third in the constructors’ championship.


Ricciardo moves to McLaren next season after a two-year deal with Renault, which has so far delivered a highest finish of fourth, in Italy last year.

But Coulthard did not believe the move to Renault had been a waste for Ricciardo, who he says will emerge with more “life experience”.

“He took the Renault experiment, he wanted a fresh break,” the former McLaren and Red Bull driver said.

“What I think the Renault experience has done is … given him more experience, he has got more life experience now, which will be a strong asset when he eventually gets a winning car again.”

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Coulthard predicted a tough road ahead for Ferrari, who he said should already be thinking about turning their attention to 2021.

“I do think there is more likelihood of Racing Point winning a Grand Prix this year than Ferrari,” Coulthard said.

“If we’re going to have a quirky race where weather plays a part and the two Mercedes run into each other and Red Bull have a problem, I think next up is Racing Point rather than Ferrari.

“I think this year (Ferrari) are going to struggle to get a victory … when you know you have got a dog of a car, you don’t keep trying to flog it until the end of the year, you start getting your attention onto developing that package.”

rebecca.williams@news.com.au

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Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/motor-sport/formula-one/david-coulthard-slams-ferraris-dog-of-a-car-and-predicts-mclaren-glory-for-daniel-ricciardo/news-story/2684683726c9f55f6e7d6d2567dd503a