Daniel Riccardo believes he has exceeded his 2014 level

Winner in Malaysia, although benefiting from the engine failure of Lewis Hamilton, Daniel Ricciardo concluded his 2016 season in third place in the Drivers' championship, behind the two drivers Mercedes.

The arrival of Max Verstappen, from Spain, replacing Daniil Kvyat, served in part as a catalyst for the Australian, who had to raise his level against his new Dutch teammate.

“There were races this year where Max was half a second faster than me in Q1 and Q2, and then I took out a lap in Q3 that was three, four tenths faster, underlines Ricciardo. I was able to achieve some good levels throughout the year, and there were several times where I was able to exceed my own expectations of what I thought I could do, and that made me feel better. even surprised a little.

There were some great qualifiers this year. China is one that comes to mind, or Barcelona and Monaco, which were both great. Monaco was the best though, and that Saturday lap is probably the strongest memory of the year, perhaps even more than the victory in Malaysia. »

These performances lead the resident of the Milton Keynes team to say that his 2016 season surpasses his 2014 campaign. If he has not equaled his three victories acquired two years ago, the driver Red Bull Racing admits, on the other hand, to have been more efficient.

“I finished third in 2014 of course and had three wins that year, but my third place this year gives a better feeling, and is more convincing. This year I think I achieved the same thing as in 2014, but at a higher level when I really attacked. »