Ricciardo at "the limit" for McLaren F1 cockpit
Daniel Ricciardo says his wide hips make him on the limit for the width of current Formula 1 cockpits, but says he is all good with this year’s McLaren.

The Australian has not had an easy time squeezing into cars in the past, and he had a difficult baptism at McLaren as a first mock-up seat proved to be slightly too narrow and adjustments had to be made.
However, while the final fitting inside the MCL35M has proved to be okay for the Australian, he says that his hips – which often caused headaches inside the ultra-tight Red Bull cockpits – always need to be taken into account.
“I do have wide hips - I guess. I'm pretty thick boned,” said Ricciardo when asked about the progress since the tricky first seat fit.
“But I got in, so it was kind of the first mock up of the seat. And with the dimensions that they had, they kind of assumed what would be okay for me. But it wasn't quite okay.
“Fortunately, it was just the seat and it wasn't the actual keel itself that is too narrow. Since then I have been able to get in a seat and I do fit.”
Read Also:
Ricciardo says that as teams have pushed the boundaries in terms of slimming the cockpit width down, his hips mean that there is not much more room for designers to play with.
However, he is convinced that any performance deficit a team would face if it could not slim the cockpit down enough would be more than made up for through him being more at ease and able to drive better.
“I feel like I'm certainly the limit,” he said. “I think the way they design the cars and the chassis now, everything's trying to be as tight and compact as possible.
"Really my hips are sometimes the limiting factor. So, I just tell them, 'just make sure I'm comfortable, and if you think that loses you a tenth of aerodynamics, then I'll just drive faster on track!”
Ricciardo had his first run in the new McLaren MCL35M during a filming day at Silverstone earlier this week, and will return to action for the first pre-season test at Bahrain next month.
Related video

What are Formula 1’s options for a second American race?
Watch: Alfa Romeo unveils its C41 2021 F1 car

Latest news
Spanish Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2022
In an unusually hectic Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc was denied a dominant performance by his Ferrari engine letting go which allowed Max Verstappen to pick up the pieces. But numerous flashpoints kept the race twisting and turning throughout, with one perfect score from an emerging contender
How Verstappen overcame his and Red Bull’s errors to win in Spain
Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari engine disaster offered an open goal for Max Verstappen and Red Bull to strike, but the reigning Formula 1 world champion still had to solve multiple errors and profit from a begrudged assist from team-mate Sergio Perez, which created an unexpectedly eventful Spanish Grand Prix
Why Red Bull can win a Spanish GP that looked perfect for Ferrari
Formula 1's return to Spain on Friday ended with Ferrari leading the way from Mercedes, while Red Bull could only manage third fastest overall courtesy of Max Verstappen. But its chances of victory are far from remote with a deeper dig into the times despite Ferrari's strong start...
The key aspects of Porsche and Audi's planned F1 entries
The VW Group’s German superpowers of sportscar racing have all but confirmed they are coming to F1 when the next set of engine rules come into force in 2026. Here's why both manufacturers are all set to take the plunge, and crucially how it might work
How Vegas went from byword for F1 indifference to grand Liberty coup
Holding a race in Las Vegas – party central, a city of dreams and decadence and, yes, more than a smattering of tackiness – has been on Liberty Media’s most-wanted list since it acquired Formula 1’s commercial rights. But, as LUKE SMITH explains, F1 has been here before and the relationship didn’t work out
Why de Vries' FP1 outing could add a new path to his current crossroads
A Formula 2 and Formula E champion, Nyck de Vries is currently considering where his future in motorsport lies. Continuing in WEC and Formula E is possible and he's also courted glances Stateside after impressing in an IndyCar test. But ahead of his Formula 1 FP1 debut with Williams, he could have another option if he impresses...
Why Leclerc's crash shouldn't put off F1 drivers tasting history
OPINION: For a demo run ahead of Monaco's Historique Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc was blessed with the opportunity to drive Niki Lauda's former Ferrari 312B3 - but a brake failure at Rascasse suggested Leclerc's Monaco hoodoo transcended contemporary F1. Although an awkward incident, Leclerc deserves credit for embracing F1's history.
Why the lack of "needle" between Red Bull and Ferrari is a mirage
OPINION: The fight for the 2022 Formula 1 world titles between Red Bull and Ferrari so far features little of the public animosity that developed between the former and Mercedes last year. But that isn’t to say things are full on friendly or won’t get much worse very quickly…