Daniel Ricciardo: “Feels like being back at school”

How do you analyze your Spanish performance?

I am happy with my race and how it went. All the cars that finished ahead of us were faster. I am even of the opinion that we managed to get ahead of a more competitive car by getting the better of Carlos (Sainz. Editor's note) at the start and keeping it behind. There is still work to be done. I feel like I reached a milestone this weekend. I still make small mistakes here and there and get caught out. I still need a little more time.

What makes adapting to a new team and a different car so difficult?

If you look at the first meeting of the year in Bahrain, where I qualified ahead of Lando, you might have thought it wasn't that complicated, but it is. This car is definitely different to drive. The phenomenon is more marked in relation to my passage from Red Bull à Renault. I have to adapt my technique, but I have been using this style for years. That's the hardest thing to deal with.

Did you expect to have to go through this discovery phase?

I arrived with an open mind, because I remembered what it had been like at Renault. I had in mind my first races with them, then my evolution during the two seasons spent there. I knew I was going to come into the first race feeling prepared, but I also knew that by the 10th event I would be riding better. I knew I wouldn't be 100%. It was inevitable.

You have a reputation as a late-comer, but we don't feel completely comfortable in this area with the MCL35M. Is this where the key lies?

I feel like a beginner again, being guided through every turn. “Okay, you're doing a good job here, but you can do better here. » The feedback from the team is positive. She tries to get me to adopt good habits with this car and its characteristics, whether braking or re-accelerating. It's true that I perhaps tend to think too much before acting, it's still not natural. The phenomenon is more marked in certain turns than others.

In fast curves you throw the car and hang on (laughs). In those where greater precision and delicacy are required, the car proves to be quite sensitive. At times it works well. To others, no. I have to program myself to ride faster. I feel like I'm back at school.

Discover the full report of the Spanish Grand Prix and the entire interview with Daniel Ricciardo, in issue 2311 of AUTOhebdo, always available in digital version and on newsstands.