Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo is desperate to claim the Drivers’ Championship and he believes he can compete with the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.
The Australian is currently third in the standings but his hopes of a maiden world title this year appear remote, as he trails leader Hamilton by 84 points.
Hamilton’s Mercedes team-mate Rosberg is 65 points ahead of Ricciardo, but he feels if he had a car capable of competing with Hamilton and Rosberg’s drive he would be in the mix for the drivers’ crown.
Ricciardo managed three wins in his debut campaign with Red Bull in 2014 but that was the same season where the Silver Arrows began to dominate and the 27-year-old told Autosport that he believes he should have achieved his dream by now.
“I’d definitely hoped for more,” he said.
“Even that year [2014], when it ended, I thought ‘You know what? If I’d had that car [a Mercedes] I would have been world champion’.
“Not being able to take all of that since 2014 has been a bit frustrating. I’m sure it will come back around.
“I’ve certainly learned a lot, to be a bit more – unfortunately – patient, to weather the storm and maximise the good days when they are here.
“Red Bull have made improvements this season and should be more competitive next year. Ricciardo feels the current campaign has been his most impressive to date – despite the fact he is without a race win – and remains optimistic over his future, providing Red Bull can hand him a car that matches his own ambitions.
“The level I’ve approached everything with, the qualifying, certainly, that has got better and better, and some races,” he added.
“From the first day of testing I felt like I was on it, and I don’t really feel I’ve lost that.
“When [Daniil] Kvyat was here I was clearly out-performing him, and that was the first little statement, and then Max [Verstappen] came in, and even though he got the win [in Spain], I feel like I’ve been doing good.
“Ricciardo is 201.00 to win the Drivers’ Championship this season, Hamilton is 1.22 and Rosberg is 4.20.
Leave a comment
Link Dafabet