McLaren fears 'Honda situation': 'Ricciardo’s performance also down to us'

McLaren hopes to handle the break-up with Daniel Ricciardo differently from the break-up with engine supplier Honda after 2017. CEO Zak Brown sticks his hand in his pocket and says that not only could Ricciardo have done better, but McLaren itself also needs to improve.

Brown takes the blame

McLaren has broken off its partnership with Ricciardo and paid the Australian not to serve out his contract that was due to run until 2023. Instead, the team opted for his younger and talented compatriot Oscar Piastri. That the partnership between Ricciardo and McLaren has broken down is not entirely Ricciardo's fault, according to Brown. The team needs to do better with Piastri, with the CEO citing the 2017 situation with Honda as an example of how not to do it.

The-Race.com quotes the American: "We saw on-track benefit from Daniel and we learned a lot about ourselves. I find our lack of results for Daniel’s car is a collective responsibility. Kind of like when we departed with Honda, when we put the Renault in, it was like ‘ah, it’s not just the power unit’."

McLaren acknowledges own mistakes in attempt to avoid Honda situation

McLaren used the new 2018 Renault engine as a gauge to conclude that the car was flawed. In the years before, the team was too focused on the Honda engine being the evil. McLaren drove hopelessly at the back of the track in the years with Honda. Brown wants to avoid a similar situation at the team after breaking the contract with Ricciardo. In that, Piastri will be the new gauge.

"So, I think, as we’re trying to get better as a team, we can be a better two-car team. I think there are a lot of learnings from Daniel," Brown said. McLaren acknowledges with these statements that they have failed together with Ricciardo. Although the team has done its best, mistakes have been made. It seems a good step the team is taking to avoid what happened with Honda. The team now seems prepared to encounter its own flaws.