McLaren has back ups but sure Daniel Ricciardo will be fit for F1 opener
The Australian missed the first two days of running during the final pre-season test in Ba🅘hrain due to feeling unwell. McLaren annou♍nced on Friday evening that Ricciardo had tested positive for COVID-19, ruling him out of the final day too.
Ricciardo’s illness has meant teammate Lando Norris has been forced to carry out all of M🔯cLaren’s test programme by himself.&nb𝔉sp;
Spe♏aking to media on Saturday, Seidl stre🦄ssed he has no concerns about Ricciardo’s participation in next weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix being under threat.
“I’m confident he will be fit again next weekend,” said Seidl. “He’s feeling better already but as we know it simply takes a few days until y꧋ou are fully back in good shape.”
McLaren has several back-up options in th♈e event Ricciardo does not recover i🍰n time.
The Woking-based outfit has an agreement t♋o share Mercedes’ reserve drivers Stoffel Vandoorne and Nyck de Vries, while ex-F1 racer Paul di Resta is also on standby.
“In terms of reserve drivers, similar to previous years we have an agreement w✅ith🔯 Mercedes where we share reserve drivers,” Seidl explained.
“We also have Paul di Resta similar to last year on standby i🔯n case it’s needed, but again I ex🦹pect Daniel to be back in good shape next week.”
While Seidl conceded that missing the entire second week of testing ha🌌s put both the driv🐻er and team on the back foot heading into the new F1 season, he believes Ricciardo’s experience will help soften the setback.
“In terms of preparation going into the season obviously that’s not what we’ll be aiming form,” Seidl added. “It definitely puts us and Daniel on the back foot as well but in the end that’s something Daniel couldn’t control, we simply have to acᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚcept that’s how it is.
“With the🔴 experience Daniel has and going also now into the second year together with the team, I’m still optimistic that the small disadvantage that he will have starting the race weekend next week, that hopefully it doesn’t take that long until it is fully compensated for𝐆.”
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