Daniel Ricciardo has stated he is not concerned with his tough start to the 2024 Formula 1 season, citing that “two good races” will see the “bad ones be forgotten”.
Ricciardo has endured a challenging opening to the latest season as he has lagged behind team-mate Yuki Tsunoda, who has scored all seven of RB’s points to date.
The Australian entered the campaign bidding to be competitive from the outset to stake his claim to return to the Red Bull cockpit that he vacated at the end of 2018.
However, Ricciardo’s recent struggles to extract pace from his VCARB 01 car have prompted him to accept that he is surprised he has failed to hit the ground running.
But nevertheless, the eight-time grand prix winner is optimistic that his breakthrough moment will arrive despite an opening lap crash curtailing his hopes at Suzuka.
Asked whether he felt more pressure than normal ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, Ricciardo replied: “I say yes, but my answer is it’s from me more than anyone.
“I’m sure there is from the outside, but I came into this season having a full pre-season, I had a really good winter, I trained my butt off and I feel really good.
“So, everything in my head and through my years of experience tells me we should start the season firing on all cylinders.
“That’s where I’m like ‘OK, it hasn’t really happened yet and it’s been three races’. But I know that I don’t need to change anything. It’ll come.
“It’s just a little bit here and there and whatever is, maybe just missing at the moment will click and I think it’s one weekend away from that.
“Even in Melbourne, I was probably disappointed on paper with the weekend, of course, and not getting points and the qualifying and all that. But when we analysed the race, it wasn’t as bad as it probably looked or seemed. We had good race pace and there are some good things that we’re taking, we just need to put it together now. And that, I will do!”
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko, who helps decide on the Austrian outfit’s two F1 driver line-ups, has been critical about Ricciardo’s performances on a few occasions.
However, Ricciardo has suggested that the Austrian’s comments have not impacted him as the two are on the same wavelength regarding the expectations imposed.
Pressed on whether Marko was piling on the pressure behind the scenes, Ricciardo retorted: “No, but I know what he expects and wants and it’s exactly what I want.
“I know it’s 24 races and it’s a long season. I have two good races now all of a sudden, the bad ones would be forgotten.
“But every race that passes is another one, so three races and not having a result is not what he wants or the team want.
“Pierre [Hamelin] and Patrick, my two engineers, have been working their butts off and it’s important that we just focus on ourselves and don’t get distracted by anything else.
“Of course, we all want the result, but it’s not going to come from receiving suggestions or advice or anything else from someone.
“So, we’ll just stay on course and I know it will come. Unfortunately, it hasn’t come yet, but I definitely have faith [that it will].”
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