No doubts over seeing out McLaren F1 contract

Brown caused a stir when he told Sky Sports that, off the back of Ricciardo’s ongoing difficulties in fully getting on top of McLaren’s car characteristics, their partnership had not lived up to expectations.

“We would obviously like to see Daniel much closer to Lando [Norris] and have a good inter-team battle,” he said.

“Daniel is just not comfortable yet with the car, we’re trying everything we can. Again it was a disappointing weekend.

“Short of [Ricciardo’s win at] Monza and a few races, it’s generally not kind of met his or our expectations, as far as what we were expecting.”

Brown’s remarks were interpreted by some as suggesting that Ricciardo’s future at the squad could be under threat if he did not start making some rapid gains.

But asked at the Monaco Grand Prix about Brown’s comments, Ricciardo said he fully accepted the criticisms – and was as focused as the team in turning things around.

“It’s not false, it’s pretty true,” he said. “Firstly comments, I don’t take them personal. My skin is tanned, beautiful and also thick. No one’s going to be harder on me than myself.

“I don’t want to be racing around in 10th or 12th places. It’s been a little bit more certainly testing at times in terms of trying to get up and maximise myself in this car. But we’re working together hard at it. The team wants it, I want it, and we are just working through it.”

Ricciardo signed a three-year contract with the team that keeps him there until the end of 2023, but caused intrigue after the Spanish GP when he suggested that talks about his future would begin in the summer.

Asked by Autosport to clarify whether or not it was definite he would see out his deal, Ricciardo insisted that his remarks were triggered by confusion about the year.

“Yes, it’s clear,” he said. “I got a contract until the end of 2023. COVID messed me up, so I just got confused with the years.”

Ricciardo had a…