Ricciardo Admits He’s Being Overly Clever With Renault’s Car Setup

Quite like other sports, there is always some scope for bias in Formula 1 as well. Wondering how?

Kimi, till as recently as the 2018 USA GP and that epic duel involving Lewis at Monza had been dubbed ‘too old for his age.’ Yet, in the wake of his fastest-ever lap record- wherein Raikkonen went at 1:19:119 in Italy- answered his critics with some style.

Vettel-bashing is, undoubtedly, picking up among both informed fans as well as self-titled opinion-makers. So as even the 2013 world champion failed to put Lewis behind ever since he donned ‘red’ there’s been a growing sense of agony the German’s feel On a completely different context, it’s rather strange to take note of those situations where someone himself helps form a bias.

Sounds absolutely weird, right?

At this point in time, there’s talk surrounding Daniel Ricciardo and his Renault F1 team.

But it appears that the ever-smiling Aussie, albeit one who, at present, seems to be devoid of one (0 points and P18 on the drivers’ standings), is the reason behind the bias that surrounds him.

Do you know why?

Ricciardo, as told in a report published in a reputed F1 online journal shared that maybe he and his team (Renault F1) have tried to be a bit ‘too clever’ in their car set-ups. And maybe this facet has contributed to the mediocre results that the duo has managed thus far.

Speaking his mind in lines with the above, the Australian, formerly with Red Bull shared the following:

We got the chance to analyze on the Monday after the [Bahrain] race because we had that day off before the test and sat down with the engineers,” explained the Australian, who has failed to finish the opening two races of the campaign.

“We had a bit of a debrief in a bit of peace of quiet in our own environment, and we kind of maybe established that we are trying to do too much.

“I am trying to settle in, and also my engineers are trying to work with me, and I think probably all of us are trying to be too maybe clever as well.”

The above told it’s pertinent and exciting at the same time to note as to what Ricciardo, desperate to get going this season can do at China. This, it must be noted, would be critical from the very perspective that if Renault are to hold the upper-hand in the battle for superiority in the midfield- in their contest versus Alpha Romeo, McLaren, and Haas- then it’s about time that the 29-year-old gets going.

Moreover, the Chinese Grand Prix, the 1000th race of F1, is also a venue where Daniel won last year, albeit driving a Red Bull. But can that encourage the Aussie a bit? Well, his fans would want nothing more- would they?