Australian pilot Daniel Ricciardo believes that the RB team has the potential to compete against the top five teams in Formula 1. After both cars made it to Q3 at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Ricciardo is optimistic about their chances. Although he had a positive race in Miami, he was disappointed to be eliminated in Q1. However, the RB team once again showed their competitiveness in Imola, with Ricciardo and his teammate Yuki Tsunoda qualifying in the top 10, splitting Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes. Despite being a few tenths behind Tsunoda, Ricciardo is happy with the team’s progress and will analyze their performance to improve in the upcoming races.
Despite the frustrations of always being behind his teammate this season, Ricciardo expressed that he now feels significantly more confident with his VCARB 01 vehicle.
When asked if RB can regularly compete with the top five established teams, he acknowledged that the recent races have been “encouraging,” considering the variety of tracks that will be used.
“However, this year has mostly been Yuki,” he admitted. “But in Miami, I was ahead on Saturday. Yuki took the lead on Sunday.”
“So, yes. I believe that if we can put in a solid lap, we can be a contender in Q3. And that is really encouraging.”
“We are certainly in the same league as these top teams in terms of engine performance. Of course, next week we will have a completely different track. Hopefully, we can make it to Q3 once again.”
Although things are not perfect yet, Ricciardo revealed that he is in a much better state of mind, unlike his previous statement in Japan where he admitted to struggling with his mental state.
“I’m still not… I would say perfect. None of us is perfect. But I know I’m making progress. It’s still a work in progress for me,” explained Ricciardo.
“But when I manage to put it all together, I feel really good, like in Miami. So now I’m just trying to find that consistency within myself.”
“However, I feel more comfortable in the car, so I believe that consistency will come more naturally.”
“Overall, I’m now entering the weekend with a positive mindset, knowing that we have a competitive car.”
