Daniel Ricciardo Shares His First Red Bull Season Went ‘Very Easy’

You don’t need to be a Ted Kravitz or a Martin Brundle to ascertain a simple truth. That where it stands presently, Daniel Ricciardo of Red Bull isn’t exactly having a ball. Isn’t he? The former Red Bull driver, one who changed the base to Renault- his current team for 2019 and 2020- signing a two-year contract with the Cyril Abiteboul-team was perhaps expected to have set the season on fire.

And yet, in that regard, when one examines Daniel Riccardo and the kind of start he’s had for 2020, it appears that the Australian’s form leaves a lot to be desired.

Just from the perspective of facts, from the 4 races held so far, Daniel Ricciardo has been able to finish only 1 race in points. The two back-to-back DNFs that he endured starting Australia (his home race) followed by Bahrain didn’t exactly inspire a great deal of confidence.

That told, as the Australian driver enters the 2019 Spanish Grand Prix, his very first with Renault, he looked back on his career, reminiscing his stellar Red Bull days. This, it ought to be remembered, happens to be a team with which Daniel has won 7 Grands Prix, including 2 in 2018 alone, as seen at Monaco and China.

So what exactly did Daniel Ricciardo have to say about his halcyon days with Red Bull?

“I remember that it was exciting. I had the chance to drive for a top team and compete with the then current and four-time F1 world champion,” Ricciardo told Motorsport-Total.

“If I could get close to Vettel, people would say ‘This Ricciardo is pretty good’, there was no real pressure, it was just an option for me. It was cool, it was good, I enjoyed it.

“Apart from the results, I wanted to learn from Seb, I know how meticulous he is and how much he invests in the sport, he lives and breathes Formula 1 and racing.

“I did not want to copy him, but to take some things from him that I found useful, but I wanted to retain my own style.”

And well, in lines with the above, it has to be said that the 29-year-old Aussie’s life has become a bit difficult- hasn’t it? The points have been hard to come by and where his teammate stands- Nico Hulkenberg- then it can be said that beating the German from the word go, hasn’t really happened for the Renault driver, even as that possibility may have sounded a bit impractical (from the word go).

So where does that leave Daniel Ricciardo? Truth be told, for a new season that’s only just begun, with only 4 races completed, Ricciardo- someone who cannot be kept quiet given his sheer talent behind an F1 car- would be pouncing on any chances at scoring and improving. For it appears that that is pretty much where it stands for the Australian right now. Isn’t it?