Ricciardo: Red Bull can ‘disrupt tempo’ of Merc, Ferrari in US GP
Daniel Ricciardo believes Red Bull can “disrupt the tempo” of Mercedeಌs and Ferrari in the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix, despite being a second off the pace in qualifying.
The Red Bull driver was fifth-quickest in qualifying but ended up 1.257💮s off Lewis Hamilton’s pole position effort, with the top three consisting of Mercedes and Ferrari drivers covered by just 0.070s.
Ricciardo will start Sunday’s race from fourth on the gri🌺d after Sebastian Vettel’s penalty for speeding under a red flag period is applied, dropping the German t🅷o fifth.
Daniel Ricciardo believes Red Bull can “disrupt the tempo” of Mercedes and Ferrari in the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix,🐷 despite being a second offꦅ the pace in qualifying.
The Red Bull driver was fifth-quickest in qualifying but ended up 1.257s off Lewis Hamilton’s pole position effort, with the top three consisting of Mercedes and Ferrari drivers covered 🔯by just 0.070s.
R⛦icciardo will start Sunday’s race from fourth on the grid after Sebastian Vettel’s penalty for speeding under a red flag period is applied, dropping the German to fifth.
While Red Bull lacked the pace to challenge Mercedes and Ferrari during qualifying, Ricciardo isꦍ confident the Milton Keynes’ based squad’s deficit should be “somewhat halved” in race trim.
“The gap to the leaders is big,” Ricciardo acknowl🙈eged.
“We knew Mercedes wou🐼ld be really strong, but Ferrari turned it on today as well. I hope and feel that gap will get somewhat halved tomorroꦉw, and we’ll be able to be a bit more competitive.
“I think if it goes off in order, it will be hard to put pressure on them the whole race. But if we can get some track position on them at th🐻e start🌳, gain a few positions, we could disrupt their tempo and have a good crack for a podium.
“I’m kind of glad that Seb was not on pole because that w𝓰oulꦐd mean I start fifth. Because he is second I now start fourth, because of the penalty. So sorry Seb but I will take every position I can at the moment.”
Ricciardo has only stood on the🦂 podium twice this season, with his last appearance coming following his victory ไat the Monaco Grand Prix in May.
The Australian is determine▨d to end that drought in Austin and has vowed to “send some missiles” in his bid to retur🌳n to the top three.
“I feel like every year I’ve come here with Red 🎐Bull we’ve been if not on the podium, within a shot of it. So hopefully we’ve at least got a shot at it tomorrow,” he explained.
“I🃏 can promise you now that if I’ve got an opportunity to get a podium tomorrow I’m not going to let it slip. So I’ll 𝔉do what I can.
“We look pretty🍒 racy in the third sector but first and second sector we are going🐠 to bleed a little bit. I’ll try to make something happen.
“We’ll try to send some missil💙es tomorrow and we’ll see how we go.”
Lewis regularly attends Grands Prix for mahbx.com around the world. Often🔥 reporting on the action from the ground, Lewis tells the stories of the people who matter in the sport.
