The Formula One Season is not even half done, yet tensions are bubbling to the surface over at McLaren. Daniel Ricciardo jumped into the seat vacated by Carlos Sainz for the 2021 campaign. With 7 wins and 31 podiums, Ricciardo is a proven race winner who has depth and plenty of raw speed. The Aussie driver is a valuable commodity in the cutthroat world of Formula 1. However, since he made the switch from Renault F1, Ricciardo has struggled to adapt to the McLaren while he has watched teammate Lando Norris flourish. Norris has comprehensively outperformed Ricciardo and the capabilities of the car. The boy wonder has delivered three podiums and is currently placed 4th in the driver’s standings.

Ricciardo appears to be stumbling around in the dark looking for the switch while Norris is preparing to land on the Moon. The Australian has openly admitted he is finding it difficult to adapt to the McLaren. And now McLaren team principal, Andreas Seidl has publicly stated that he is “disappointed” by Ricciardo’s current lack of progress. Speaking to German media he said:

“He’s disappointed, so are we. Because we thought he would be faster. I don’t think he imagined it would be so difficult to change teams. I am still convinced that at some point it will click with him.”

It is impossible to know how Daniel Ricciardo will take this sudden and unexpected curveball statement from his team principal. Seidl knows what he is doing and what he is saying. His statement is both discouraging and encouraging. It is a discussion to be had behind closed doors, not in the glaring eye of the media. But Seidl knows he has broken the bond between driver and team.

Ricciardo will be blindsided by Seidl’s comments, he is a proven race winner with countless podium trophies bearing his name. With such pedigree comes pride. For Seidl to publicly state his disappointment in Ricciardo’s form is showing disharmony. War has begun at McLaren.