Formula 1 News: Daniel Ricciardo Concedes RB Still Needs Improvement Despite Upgrades
In the recent Belgian Grand Prix weekend, Daniel Ricciardo acknowledged that his team, RB, still has to work on finding a solution to its Formula 1 car’s weaknesses, despite adding upgrades to the machinery. The Australian driver has shown significant improvement in recent outings, securing three points finishes in the last six races after struggling to match his team-mate Yuki Tsunoda earlier in the season.
Ricciardo’s resurgence has not only silenced rumors of a potential replacement but also put him in the frame to take over from Sergio Perez at Red Bull. However, neither scenario has materialized after Red Bull’s summer break review, and Ricciardo remains focused on his task at hand.
Before the summer break, Ricciardo finished 11th at Spa, which later became a points-paying position after Mercedes’ George Russell was disqualified from the race for an underweight car. This marked the team’s fourth consecutive race with both drivers scoring points, solidifying their sixth spot in the constructors’ table.
“I still feel like our strengths are in a little bit more the lower speed stuff and our weaknesses are a bit more in the real quick stuff,” he explained. “I think real high speed we still got to work on a bit, but all the kind of tighter, twistier stuff we seem to be alright.”
The Australian driver jokingly suggested that adding weight might help, given the car’s performance in high-speed sections. “Maybe I’ll put on some weight over the break, and that’ll help,” he said.
Prior to Russell’s disqualification announcement, Ricciardo admitted to being unsure of his position during the race. However, he was confident that he would secure points until Alpine’s Esteban Ocon caught up and overtook him late in the race. “I really thought we would have ended up in the points,” he said.
Formula 1 standings
Formula 1 standings currently have RB sitting in sixth place, and with the season nearing its climax, every point counts. The team will need to continue working on its weaknesses to stay in contention. Stay tuned for more Formula 1 news, updates, and analysis as the season unfolds.
Formula 1 calendar
The next race is the Italian Grand Prix, scheduled to take place on September 11, 2023.
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