McLaren has high hopes: "We have a sort of development plan"

Daniel Ricciardo's first season at McLaren may not have delivered everything the team and driver hoped for, but racing director Andrea Stella praises the Australian's contribution behind the scenes.

His first win on behalf of McLaren came as a surprise, but mostly as a relief. Ricciardo often lost out to teammate Lando Norris in 2021, who performed in a very consistent manner. Where the performance of Norris was somewhat disappointing after the end of the Russian Grand Prix, Ricciardo seemed to find his feet in the second half of the season.

McLaren expects more from Ricciardo

"We know there's more to come with Daniel," says Stella according to F1i.com. "“I am very optimistic from this point of view." Ricciardo is known for creating a good atmosphere around him, a trait he shares with his younger teammate.

According to Stella, this represents a very good starting point for the development of both the driver and the team. "It's a real pleasure to work with him. He creates a really nice atmosphere in the team, which is a good foundation for the technical and driving development," continued the McLaren chief.

In addition, Stella saw an upward trend with the Australian during the season, and he has no doubts that this trend will continue. "We have a sort of development plan and I am looking forward to see what we will be able to do next year with Daniel," the Italian said.