In a virtual event with selected media that included MotorLat, the Australian driver commented on his feeling with the car having topped the two morning sessions of test that he took part in, his relationship with team principal and a few other things.

When asked about how he has managed things with Andreas Seidl, Daniel only had good words for the director on this new era.

“I really like Andreas you know. He’s a good operator and I think he’s already contributed a lot to the team and contributed to the structure. Yeah I feel like he’s definitely a good guy to be around McLaren right now. I’m looking forward to learning more about him and working more. So far, so good.”

During the conference was commented how, in the transition from Red Bull to Renault, one of the struggles Ricciardo faced was with the brakes on the car. About this Daniel said that he’s still adapting to everything in the car, braking included.

“It is certainly different. So I am still probably adapting or adjusting to that. See I think that going Red Bull to Renault and Renault to McLaren, probably breaking is, maybe the biggest thing with things that you need to adapt. So yes that’s one that I’m still trying to get on top of it and understand where the limit is on the car. Generally in the past couple of years it looks like they had a pretty good car and breaking. So yeah that will be a good one and hopefully we’ll see some pretty passes from me again.”

With two days of testing gone so far, Ricciardo claimed the fastest lap in both the two sessions that he was able to drive in the morning time in Bahrain, Daniel was asked if the car feels really as quick, reliable, and stable as it looks from the outside.

“It’s certainly handling itself pretty good at the moment, but I think I need to get one of the evening sessions under my belt, cause even if we’ve being quick on the time-sheets in the day sessions, you know, the track is 40° degrees. It’s not that representative of what I’m used to around here so naturally the car is sliding and moving around so it doesn’t fell electrifying, but relative to the track yeah I see we’re doing ok.”

Daniel in the desert 🏝

A good morning's work from the team as our first session of the day comes to an end. 52 more laps behind us 💪#F1Testing pic.twitter.com/kM531IZdZQ

— McLaren (@McLarenF1) March 13, 2021

“I think 24 hours’ time probably up from data it will stand on how really balanced it is. I think both days with hundred and maybe degree and wind direction changes there are certainly more positives at the moment.”

Finally responding on how difficult it is to adapting to completely new and different cars when the driver is constantly changing teams and if Ricciardo feels mostly mechanical differences or notes a special situation regarding the Mercedes engine, the Australian said:

“Obviously there’s a lot within the change of team, and then the tyres and then the floor, but I’ve been [again] driving in the middle of the day so far so it is not representative of what I had with Renault. Kind of hard to say this or that but I’ve have seen a few more cars sliding and I really think I’m not quite there with the grip yet so I think most people are probably still  suffering some losses with the floor change and with the breaking.”

“It’s more probably than just a mechanical feeling, with even things like new car, new pedals, and positioning just feeling on that more physically than anything else for now.”

Daniel Ricciardo will be driving in the afternoon session tomorrow on the final day of winter testing in Bahrain.

MORNING CLASSIFICATION

Plenty of laps on the board and talking points from our morning session 📊#F1 #F1Testing pic.twitter.com/LSIarHNnb9

— Formula 1 (@F1) March 13, 2021