For the past three years, since he was promoted to the Red Bull senior team, Daniel Ricciardo has been one of the few thorns in the side of the Mercedes juggernaut and now the Australian believes things are going to get even tougher for the reigning Formula 1 World Champions in 2017.
Asked, in an interview with the official F1 website, if he felt he would be able to challenge Lewis Hamilton in the Silver Arrows, he replied, “I think we can challenge, yes. If we make the same improvements we did last year then he won’t have anything easy, believe me.”
Red Bull won the only two races Mercedes did not win last year, a season which Ricciardo looks back on fondly, “2016 was really encouraging for the whole team. We found ourselves fighting again for wins, podiums and pole positions. It was a great step closer to where we want to return to. And from what I hear about the new car, I would definitely risk a bet in our favour.”
Nico Rosberg’s retirement was one of the biggest surprises at the end of the 2016 season, freeing up the most coveted seat in Formula 1.
The Australian, who regularly shared private jet flights with Rosberg, admitted, “At first it was a surprise, but once I went through it in my head and put myself in his shoes I understood it a lot better. He has a family now, he’s been involved in the sport even before he was racing himself through his dad Keke, so it’s a long career in that respect.”
“It drains you with all the travel and commitments and he reached what he wanted, so now it’s time for him to chill out. I get it mate!”
And added, “It was a crazy position it put Mercedes in. I’m sure every driver called, or thought about calling Toto (Wolff) and Niki (Lauda). It’s been interesting to see it evolve and now Bottas has his big chance. We’ll see how he goes. For me, I am best where I am: at Red Bull Racing.”
The new season is packed with new rules to make cars faster and more spectacular, he gave his take on what lies ahead, “Hopefully it gets better and better in the course of the season because from Melbourne on we can race each other hard again without having penalties looming over our heads all the time. I’ll try my best to keep it exciting for the fans!”
Red Bull were among the teams that sampled the wider and bigger 2017 Pirelli F1 tyres, but Ricciardo is not sure the team will have an advantage as a result of the testing.
“It was hard to really evaluate. Sure, I felt more grip from the bigger tyres, but the car was a kind of random/hybrid set-up so wouldn’t have given the real 2017 feel.”
“But the tyres seemed fun, so I expect good things when we get on track in Barcelona. From what we’ve seen in the simulator it will be a real challenge. But Barcelona will show the real thing,” added Ricciardo who will line up for his 110th grand prix at the 2017 season opener in Melbourne on 26 March.
Read the full story at GRAND PRIX 247
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