FIRST LOOK: New F1 colours for Daniel Ricciardo at McLaren
Daniel Ricciardo has spent his first day at McLaren as he gears up for the 2021 Formula 1 season.
The Australian joins McLaren for the upcoming campaign having made the move from midfield rivals Renault - now Alpine - at the end of 2020 to replace the Ferrari-bound Carlos Sainz and become teammates with Lando Norris.
Both drivers made their first appearances of the year at the team’s Woking headquarters earlier this week, with Ricciardo getting accustomed to his new surroundings by meeting personnel and completing a seat fit on his first visit to the factory.
Ricciardo arrives at McLaren after a stellar 2020 campaign in which he finished fifth in the drivers’ standings, taking two podium finishes in Germany and Italy to help Renault clinch fifth place in the constructors’ championship.
He joins a McLaren team enjoying an upward trajectory, with the British squad sealing third place in the constructors’ at the final round of last season to break into F1’s top three for the first time since 2012.
DR in the house.
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) February 3, 2021
@danielricciardo pic.twitter.com/S0PrBr9lMr
McLaren will be boosted by Mercedes power this year after becoming the only team to switch power unit supplier during the winter as it looks to maintain its current superiority at the top of the midfield order in 2021.
The team successfully fired up its MCL35M challenger for the first time last week ahead of its unveiling at a digital launch event later this month on 15 February.
Ricciardo will make his first on-track appearance for McLaren at pre-season testing in Bahrain on 12-14 March ahead of the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix on 28 March.
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