Daniel Ricciardo admits he is “puzzled” with the gap to RB Formula 1 team-mate Yuki Tsunoda despite producing his “best lap” of 2024 at the Australian Grand Prix.
Having lagged behind Tsunoda in the first two weekends of the season, the Australian entered his home weekend under pressure to deliver amid growing criticism.
However, Ricciardo slumped to a disappointing Q1 exit as his quickest effort was deleted for exceeding track limits at Turn 4, dropping him to 18th place on the grid.
“I knew at the time, Turn 4, I was fighting it, and I remember taking more kerb than I usually am, so I knew I was wider than usual,” Ricciardo reviewed.
“But it’s funny, you do it, and already after Turn 5, I’ve forgotten about it.
“So I did the lap, and then eventually when Pierre [Hamelin, Ricciardo’s race engineer] told me, honestly I’d forgot all about it. I think it took a while for it to sink in.”
Despite being satisfied with his last run, Ricciardo concedes that he couldn’t replicate Tsunoda’s pace as his removed lap time still ended up three-tenths adrift.
“So the lap itself I was happy with from my side, I felt like I got everything out of it, and then when I saw it still wasn’t good enough, let’s say compared to Yuki, that for me is… yeah, I’m still a bit puzzled, because I know what those laps normally mean, and I crossed the line being like yeah, that was a good one,” he recalled.
“But those ones are normally enough, and it’s still not. And then looking at the time he’s doing in Q2, I could tell you now, I can’t get seven more tenths out of it than what I got in Q1.
“So I’m sure there’s a bit of track evo, but honestly there’s still some things we’ve got to look at, because it’s been definitely a struggle so far.”
However, Ricciardo is adamant that his search for answers to his lack of pace is not comparable to his wretched spell with McLaren that preceded his Red Bull return.
But having overcome the balance issues he endured with the VCARB01 beforehand, Ricciardo is eager to delve into the data to understand the deficit to his team-mate.
Asked whether he had mixed emotions as the car had potential he failed to extract, Ricciardo replied: “Yeah, and that’s why like today, OK, the time got deleted.
“But the lap itself, it was definitely the best quali lap that I’ve done this year, and those ones are normally quite good.
“Going into Q2, I’m don’t know where there was much more time. You obviously take a couple of tenths from track evo, but six, seven-tenths, that’s not in it.
“I think from a balance and everything, so to be clear, with the car I’ve felt, like I feel confident in terms of braking and balance and all that.
“It’s not say [like] McLaren where I was a bit unsure and I can’t push the car here. But yeah, you just, some corner speeds I see, simply not able to gain enough speed.”
Expanding on his struggles, Ricciardo said: “I feel like I’m at the edge with the car, in terms of like four wheel sliding, so it’s balance and I feel now I’m at the limit of where its potential is.
“After Saudi, we saw some things across cars, the team changed quite a lot and gave me quite a few new parts for this weekend to address some of those issues and concerns.
“It looked like it was better, but I still, I’m still not fully convinced, like I said, we still feel like we’re struggling more than we normally are in a car that again I’m pretty happy with.
“It’s not like I’m like, yeah it’s really struggling here or here, it’s actually been a pretty nice car to drive. Just the lap time is proving otherwise.”
While Tsunoda progressed through to the pole position shootout and will line up eighth as he seeks to get RB off the mark, Ricciardo will be situated at the back.
Asked what he can achieve on home soil tomorrow, he answered: “I don’t know. I don’t even know if I’ve figured out, I don’t think it’s sunk in where I start. It’s certainly painful.
“The only thing I can be optimistic about is the home crowd is great. I think it’s probably a two-stop race with tyre wear and that, so opens up a bit more opportunity maybe if I can be a bit nicer on the tyre, could provide something, and hopefully some guys struggle with graining and a few things like that, hopefully we can charge through the field.
“But yeah. I’m still a bit… still kind of occupied on where the lap time is currently in this car.”
