Daniel Ricciardo has clarified a remark caught on a microphone ahead of the unveiling of the 2022 Formula 1 car, during a presentation at the Silverstone Circuit on Thursday.
F1 held a live launch of the new car, which has been designed to the 2022 technical rules, on YouTube. A countdown to the start of the video was displayed, but audio cut in early and the McLaren driver was heard saying: “Yeah, no it’s terrible. It’s shit, it’s the worst.”
When the video went live and reaction was sought from the drivers, Ricciardo gave a generally positive review of the new car: “I like the rear of it. The rear looks pretty old school, it reminds me of 2008, with that style, which is cool. The front is very different, but like all things, the more you stare at it, the more normal it will start to look.”
Quizzed after the launch about that earlier remark, Ricciardo was bemused and insisted it wasn’t related to the new car.
![Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri [McLaren] celebrate their 1-2 finish at the 2025 F1 Austrian GP](https://www.motorsportweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Lando-Norris-Oscar-Piastri-McLaren-F1-2025-1-120x86.webp)
“I was probably talking about something else because to be honest we were talking about quite a few things,” he explained.
“To be honest I do not recall saying anything like that because I actually thought it was pretty cool. I wouldn’t have been that aggressive to it, maybe it was the paint scheme, but I wouldn’t have said that about it [the car].
“I’m actually curious now. Was I standing next to Lando? I don’t swear around Lando because he is still quite young. You have got me there.
“I will clarify that I definitely didn’t think it was shit. I was actually quite okay with it and I think I mentioned something about liking the rear. Anyway there is no negativity around the new car here.”
![Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri [McLaren] celebrate their 1-2 finish at the 2025 F1 Austrian GP](https://www.motorsportweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Lando-Norris-Oscar-Piastri-McLaren-F1-2025-1-350x250.webp)
![Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri [McLaren] celebrate their 1-2 finish at the 2025 F1 Austrian GP](https://www.motorsportweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Lando-Norris-Oscar-Piastri-McLaren-F1-2025-1-360x180.webp)
F-1 would be better if there were far fewer rules that set the size of this and the size of that.
A shit driver talking about a shit car. Woo doggy.
I think it looks good, and I can’t wait to see it racing, and the various directions where the designers take it over the coming years. That said, however, I still think that in an age of a budget cap it would be better to tell the teams what they are allowed to spend and then let them do their best with it without any other restrictions, bar the crash-safety requirements.