Renault needs to make “bigger steps” if it is to achieve its Formula 1 ambitions moving forward, according to Daniel Ricciardo, though will have to wait for tangible progress.
Renault outlined its desire to close the gap to Formula 1’s leading three teams, having been fourth overall in 2018, but it has failed to meet that objective.
The manufacturer holds only sixth in the Constructors’ Championship, with fewer than half the points it had amassed at this stage 12 months ago.
Renault’s previous major update in France did not yield the gains expected and some of the parts were removed in Britain, in the wake of a dismal display in Austria.
“We won’t have another proper update until well after the summer break, but I’d expect some developments,” confirmed Ricciardo.
“We brought some updates to France, they weren’t massive, so the next batch we bring I’d expect to feel a bit more.
“[The updates] is not going to be the first few [races], it will be maybe after.”
Ricciardo has emphasised that Renault needs to challenge for more top six results across the remainder of 2019, having only secured such a lofty position once so far.
“At this halfway point we could say [it has been] alright, we need to do better,” he stressed.
“If we want to be on target for podiums in 2020, we need to start making bigger steps for the second half of the year.
“So up until now I am somewhere in the middle with expectations, but I’d now expect the second half of the season to have some more regular top six finishes.”
