For Ricciardo, changing chassis marked “a turning point” in his season

Daniel Ricciardo did he (finally) find the magic recipe at RB? A hint of confidence, a bit of the Coué method and above all, a new chassis introduced in China, a mixture which seemed to bear fruit in Shanghai in Miami. In Florida, the Australian had an excellent performance during the Sprint, qualifying and finishing 4th during the first part of the weekend. However, the next day, the RB driver fell back into his mistakes: 18th in qualifying, the Perth native crossed the finish line 15th in the Grand Prix, far from the points.

A situation that is still unstable for a driver who, however, is regaining confidence in his driving and in his car. Arriving at Imola – the home Grand Prix for the Italian team, based just a few kilometers away in the town of Faenza – the smiling Australian underlined the importance of this chassis change carried out in China for the rest of his campaign.

“Obviously in the first few races there were a few things we were trying to control, [especially on] my side of the garage. I was still happy with the car, it's just that the lap times [in qualifying] remained an unknown., explained the 34-year-old driver at a press conference on Thursday in Imola. We changed the chassis in China: some might say it didn't change anything, but for me it feels like my season has taken a pretty big turn. So far, it’s something that’s definitely been positive. »

Ricciardo finds confidence at RB

Daniel Ricciardo notably estimated that his difficulties at the start of the season could find their source in a truncated 2023 season: arriving mid-season to replace Nyck de Vries, his championship was disrupted by an injury during Free Practice in Zandvoort. The Australian highlights some “differences” in the direction taken in the settings of the car Italian, visions now agreed with the team and with his teammate, Yuki tsunoda.

“We're just trying to get a little more out of the car. But there's nothing really specific that makes me say, 'Guys, we really need this.' I think Yuki and I have the same expectations, believes Daniel Ricciardo. With a little more experience, I think there are maybe a little more things I can draw on and ask of the team. But honestly, there's nothing special. We're just trying to find lap time and the team has done a good job. Miami was a good development. »

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