Daniel Ricciardo is sounding the alarm about a crucial juncture for his team. After recent upgrades haven’t delivered the expected gains, he believes the squad’s next steps could make or break their season.
The team introduced a major update at the Spanish Grand Prix, aiming to distance themselves from their midfield rivals. These changes, including a new floor, rear wing, and bodywork, unfortunately left them grappling with performance issues. “This could be a real kind of shifting point,” Ricciardo noted, emphasizing the importance of understanding their upgrades.
Ricciardo highlighted the confusion within the team about the problems the new parts were causing. There has been a concerted effort to determine which parts are effective and which are troublesome, especially elements of the new rear wing. With F1’s recent triple-header over and a short break before the final back-to-back races leading into the summer, the decisions made now are seen as crucial.
“Every moment of F1 is important,” Ricciardo explained. “But this update and our understanding of it can dictate what we do next and how well we do it. What we learn now will basically dictate where our car is in October and November, so it’s a really important period for us,” he added, stressing the significance of the current phase.
While Ricciardo relies on the technical team to make the right calls, he knows his role in providing comprehensive feedback is vital. “Feelings, feedback, positives, negatives, comparisons to other cars, everything – just to give them as much understanding of why we are where we are at the moment,” he said. Ricciardo hopes that by offering all the necessary data, the technical team can correlate it with simulator findings and real car performance.
The urgency is compounded by Haas making significant strides with their car, narrowing the points gap in the constructors’ championship. Nico Hulkenberg’s consecutive sixth-place finishes have brought Haas within four points of RB for sixth overall. Ricciardo acknowledged this by saying, “Nico’s scored big two weekends in a row, and all of a sudden our sixth place in the constructors, the gap isn’t there anymore. It’s three or four points. We know this sport can shift so quickly.”
Ricciardo pointed out that despite their efforts to bring updates frequently, this particular upgrade hasn’t performed as expected. “This is now where you get tested: where the season was looking really good – and now it’s at a kind of plateau. We have to make that right step,” he reflected. Ricciardo remains hopeful, emphasizing that the team needs to stay constructive and motivated. “You see Haas. They’ve obviously found something, so there is lap time there. There are things that we can find. So, we’ve got to make sure we find them,” he concluded.
Ricciardo’s insights reveal a team at a crossroads, needing to understand and optimize their upgrades to stay competitive. The coming weeks will be critical as they strive to regain momentum and fend off their rivals.
Source: Motorsport
