Daniel Ricciardo has revealed the RB team identified some “flaws” with its 2024 Formula 1 car after he endured a “painful” weekend at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Ricciardo sustained a miserable weekend that saw him be out-qualified five-tenths by Yuki Tsunoda, who progressed to Q3 while his team-mate languished in 14th.
The Australian’s fortunes worsened in the race as a slow pit stop left him in the train behind Kevin Magnussen, who was circulating at a reduced pace to help Haas.
A spin at Turn 1 in the closing laps would encapsulate Ricciardo’s torrid outing in Jeddah, with the two Sauber cars classified as the only active runners behind him.
Following qualifying Ricciardo had expressed that he hoped damage would be found on his car and he has now divulged that something was awry with his VCARB 01.
“Honestly, we found a few things over the course of the weekend,” he said. “But we’re heading into the race always upbeat and optimistic that maybe something happens.
“But I think it was always going to be an uphill battle. We simply don’t have everything functioning at 100%.
“So we see a few flaws, honestly, with the car. So we got to get that fixed for the next one.
“I think the race itself, Safety Car, everyone pitted and we had a really slow stop. I don’t know if they showed it… But a slow one. And then we’re in that train.
“So at the end, then just to make sure I made my mistake as well, I had a spin at Turn 1, so… I didn’t want the team to feel left out. Yeah, just definitely a tricky one.
“But the reason I’m staying optimistic because I know that we had some things wrong. And with a good car and everything sorted, I know we can do a lot better.
“So painful three days, but I don’t want it to take any confidence out of us.
“So, hasn’t been the start that we wanted, but it’s race two and Melbourne’s next. So yeah, big push for everyone to get it right and we’ll have a good weekend.”
Expanding on the issues that he mentioned, Ricciardo believes that RB’s stalled progress through a weekend compared to its rivals exposed its current limitations.
“Honestly, some things with the car. Like just when it comes to producing efficiency and everything, just a few things didn’t quite add up,” he explained.
“Look, I felt it yesterday, like Bahrain I knew that it was more me – like qualifying, I knew I left some time on the table. I left a couple of tenths.
“But yesterday… and when it kind of plateaus and the others keep improving, it’s also a bit of a sign. So I could feel that that was the limit of the car.
“So yeah, we did find some things afterwards. But then you got parc ferme. And to be honest, even if we didn’t have parc ferme, it’s probably nothing we can fix in 24 hours.
“So I’m sure a few things would go back to the factory and come back with a fresh car in Melbourne.”
Ricciardo admitted that the issues he was combating were exacerbated when he was following in the wake of cars, leaving him to feel “helpless” during the race.
“We just lack load this weekend, just in general. So then when you get behind another car, it’s even, you know, exaggerated more,” he added. “And it kind of exploits even more of a weakness.
“So it was tricky. Yeah. Just a tough one. On one of those ones you just yeah, you hope that it’s over.
“Look, I’m glad I’m back on the grid and all that, so I don’t want to be like, ‘Ah, I just wanted to see the chequered flag’. I’m not in the mindset I was a couple years ago.
“But yeah, just knowing that we don’t quite have underneath us what we should – that’s where you feel a little bit helpless.”
Ricciardo contends that his pent-up “frustration” contributed to the spin in the closing exchanges that witnessed him clatter the inside kerb at the opening corner.
“The spin? Yeah, maybe. I mean, I stayed… I don’t know. I mean, I did just take a bit too much kerb, which caused the spin,” he commented.
“So yeah, it wasn’t. I’m not intending on taking that much kerb. So yeah, you could say just a little bit of… probably a little bit of frustration, maybe on my part.
“But of course I’m not trying to spin. So yeah, I don’t know. No excuses. But doing some work. I’ll use that as an excuse.”
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