Daniel Ricciardo says all drivers really feel the stress of when their seat is being questioned however he believes Sergio Perez has the expertise to deal with the scrutiny he’s at present below.
Perez has scored simply 15 factors throughout the previous six race weekends — together with the Dash in Austria — and Purple Bull crew principal Christian Horner has said that the crew must see an upturn in type earlier than the summer season break. Ricciardo has additionally had an inconsistent season however as an RB driver has been linked with Perez’s spot, and he says each of them should solely deal with the driving side of the job and never the hypothesis round their futures.
“I suppose it relies upon how we’re spotlighted within the media, however the fact is each driver is below stress and, even those which can be killing it, there may be then stress for them to maintain performing,” Ricciardo stated. “So my level is all of us really feel it.
“Clearly I’ve been within the highlight a bit this 12 months, Checo’s within the highlight… Even after my good race in Montreal, I stated, ‘Look, I must do one other good one since you’re solely pretty much as good as your final race,’ and one good weekend doesn’t fairly allow you to off the hook. It quickly does, however then it might shortly change.
“So look, sure, in fact, I do know, I’ve seen some statistics: Max [Verstappen] has scored much more factors than Checo. And naturally, sure, they’re anticipating a bit extra, however that is the game — it’s what we’re in. We really feel it on a regular basis. It’s simply who’s the highlight of the week.
“It’s as much as us to clearly attempt to shut it out and it’s not straightforward. Generally if everyone seems to be all the time asking you questions on ‘you have got this, you have got that’ and it feels generally very detrimental or can really feel heavy.
“However I believe in my expertise — and I put Checo right here as nicely as a result of he’s additionally been in Components 1 the same period of time — we have now handled it sufficient that I believe you study simply to understand to deal with the engineering, deal with the automotive setup, and the remaining, yeah, you hear it however you simply should roll with it.”
Whereas Ricciardo feels the scrutiny will be robust to deal with when drivers are being requested about their performances with regularity, he additionally says it’s an comprehensible byproduct of the job of being an elite athlete competing in a sequence with simply 20 race seats.
“Sure, it might really feel relentless, and clearly I skilled it a bit at McLaren … these media periods, they’re not precisely pleasing. So, you’d be mendacity should you stated, ‘Oh, it doesn’t hassle me,’ or take somewhat bit away, however you must settle for that and attempt to then simply cope with it.
“So, as I stated, it’s a part of it. I all the time attempt to be like the larger particular person when it comes to, ‘Yep, it’s what I signed up for, I’m attempting to be the most effective on the planet at one thing and at occasions I’ll most likely fall brief and that is now what’s going to come back with it.’ So it’s such as you make your personal mattress and also you simply should be OK laying in it generally if the sheets aren’t made.
“It’s a pleasant quote, I’ll copyright that!”
