Red Bull – Ricciardo: “No one can take away what I felt”
After a first podium that was taken away from him for exceeding the authorized fuel flow, Daniel Ricciardo answers questions from Red Bull. He discusses his promising start and what he expects for the rest of the 2014 season.
Red Bull: Daniel, regarding the race, what did you think of your first Grand Prix for Infiniti Red Bull Racing?
Daniel Ricciardo: « It was really a good Grand Prix for me. It was great to start on the front row after a tough qualifying session. I stayed calm at the lights out and had a good start that allowed me to keep second place at the first corner. From there, I was able to run my race as I wanted and control my destiny. Obviously, the Mercedes had superior pace, being second was the best I could hope for, and I was really happy to do it. Crossing the finish line and seeing the crowd jump and cheer… It was very special. It’s different from what you imagine. »
You seem to have enjoyed the podium ceremony…
« I am not sure that “appreciate” is the right word. With Alan Jones [Australian world champion in 1980, ed. note] interviewing me on the podium, it was very surreal. A little far-fetched – truly an unforgettable moment – it’s something I am not likely to forget. »
And after…
« Yes, it was a bit depressing after such a good day. It’s not how I had imagined celebrating my first podium in F1. I did go out with two friends, but it’s true that the atmosphere wasn’t as lively as one might have expected. »
Do you take anything positive away from this race?
In fact, it’s quite positive: I did a good job with the car and I was able to get on the podium of the Australian Grand Prix – and no one can take away what I felt. I had no control over what happened next but honestly, I prefer that things happened this way rather than retiring from the race due to a mechanical issue. I prefer a podium followed by a disqualification rather than any ordinary day.
And what’s next?
The Australian Grand Prix has whetted my appetite for more podiums – and I think we have a good chance of achieving them. The work done this winter focused on reliability rather than performance. It was only in Melbourne that we were able to start working on a setup. The RB10 surprised us by being quite competitive in the dry and very competitive on a wet track. It will be much better as everything falls into place in the upcoming races and as we catch up with the teams that did more mileage than we did during winter testing.
In your opinion, what is the competitiveness level of the RB10?
« At the moment, we are fighting to be the second-best team. Obviously, this is not our goal, but it exceeds our aspirations from just a few weeks ago. I think once we find the right settings for the car, we can close the gap with Mercedes. Of course, they will also improve, but I think we have great room for improvement. »
