Daniel Ricciardo answers why only Lando Norris has McLaren's F1 Singapore GP upgrade package

Daniel Ricciardo claimed that Lando Norris received McLaren's new upgrade package earlier than him because the Briton will be staying with the team in 2023. Ricciardo will be leaving the Woking-based team at the end of the year, making Norris' feedback on the new parts more valuable from the team's point of view.

The Australian driver is also to receive the same upgrades in question, but the package will be fitted to his McLaren when the sport goes to Japan next week. The 'Honey Badger' explained that the team was unable to get enough parts to equip both cars this weekend, and chose to prioritize Norris.

When asked about the upgrades by Motorsport, Daniel Ricciardo explained:

“Lando has got it. Just with time and whatever, resources ultimately, we’ll both have it in Japan, but this weekend, it’s just him. I guess the next question is why him? A lot of its development as well, and direction for 2023. So it’s pretty much that. And obviously, he’s here next year, I’m not, so for him to get another weekend to give the team feedback and obviously direction for next year, that’s ultimately the reason.”

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Daniel Ricciardo's dreams of becoming F1 world champion are slipping away, claims former driver

Daniel Ricciardo's former teammate Jean-Eric Vergne feels that the Australian's dream of becoming a world champion has receded since his Red Bull exit.

Vergne was Ricciardo's teammate at Scuderia Toro Rosso for two years. With Mark Webber on his way out at the end of the 2013 season, Vergne and Ricciardo were in a straight shootout that season for a place in the senior Red Bull team.

Vergne said of Ricciardo's dying F1 career:

“It’s been a long time, I haven’t talked to Daniel. When I was racing with him, he was clearly one of the fastest teammates I’ve ever had. And I don’t really know what happened to him, I mean, from the moment he decided to leave Red Bull, I think things have not gone his way really, and the chance of being one day World Champion, which is always what he wanted, is probably slipping away more and more.”

Daniel Ricciardo has been consistently outperformed by teammate Lando Norris ever since the duo paired up back in 2021. The Australian's raw pace and overtaking ability seem to be a relic of the past. Now, with only six races to go in 2022, the McLaren driver has to try his best to impress other teams by hopefully bringing back his stellar form from his Red Bull days.