Ricciardo: “Renault is trying to evolve and grow as a team”

Daniel Ricciardo still wears his eternal smile in the Barcelona paddock before the start of the first European runs of the 2019 World Championship season F1.

The Australian of Renault F1 Team remains optimistic before this new part of the campaign, which should mark a step forward for most teams in terms of performance, with the arrival of new features on the 2019 single-seaters. The Losange is no exception to the rule, with in particular a motor evolution.

“We did like most teams I imagine, comments Ricciardo in Catalonia. We are bringing new features to the front wing, diffuser and engine as well.. On this side, it is mainly for reliability more than performance for the moment. But there are many areas affected.

Some teams may have found two tenths, others three or four, but I don't think anyone will arrive with eight tenths in their pocket. Otherwise hats off to them.

As a team, we must above all extract the best from our package, which we did in China or in Bahrain. But we haven't done it enough this season. When we do, we will both enter the top 10.

Even speaking with Nico, there are differences with the car this year, compared to 2018. The team is still learning, the R.S.19 is not just an evolution, some characteristics are different. It still takes time to complete this process. I'm confident.

I think we know some areas where we're struggling a little bit. In particular, on putting the tires in the correct operating window. We understand some of these concerns. »

Problems that Renault wants to quickly overcome. And if the reshuffling of its internal organization chart, announced this week, could bring from this 2019 season, it is also to prepare for the future, with the expected upheaval of 2021 on the technical level that Renault wanted to strengthen itself.

“2021 will be the real change, some things are happening now, or will happen later in the year, and that will help for 2020 before 2021, Ricciardo agrees. When I joined the team, I saw that they are exploring every possibility and that is encouraging. I don't need to know the details right now. Renault is trying to evolve and grow as a team. »

McLaren in focus?

Renault will also be able to count on the contribution of McLaren from Carlos Sainz et Lando Norris to judge the performance of its revised turbo/hybrid V6 block. A good reference according to Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren making a generally encouraging start to the campaign.

“I won't say that I'm surprised by their level, indicates the old pilot Red Bull. They had some good races. Well done to them, they have progressed well since 2018. We want to be better.

It is also encouraging from the point of view of Renault and the Power Unit. I don't know yet where they made their real progress in the offseason. It’s also good to have more competition in the middle of the pack. »