Daniel Ricciardo says Renault has to accept it is unlikely to beat McLaren over the remaining races of 2019.
Renault has gradually been out-paced by its engine customer over the year and McLaren is on course to beat them to fourth place in the constructors’ championship.“Obviously they’ve been a target for us this year but now that we’re at the end of the year, pretty much, I think we have to accept that they’ve been better than us this year and more times than not now they’re going to be faster than us,” said Ricciardo.
The McLaren pair claimed the fourth row of the grid for today’s race. Daniel Ricciardo will start behind them in ninth but was almost six tenths of a second slower than the fastest McLaren.
“It’s just how it is,” he said. “To be disappointed they’re in front now doesn’t really make sense any more because I think that we have to accept that at the moment they are in front. So being behind them, I think was the best I could do.
“I’m obviously not saying we’re going to give up for the next few races. But looking ahead to next year, hopefully we can bring them back towards us.
“They’ve made gains on the front of the field so ideally we make gains on the front with them as opposed to them falling back into us.”
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Nulla Pax (@nullapax)
3rd November 2019, 10:42
A large part of me is delighted that McLaren has done so well this season and is looking good for the future.
I am however also cheesed off because I really wanted Ricciardo to have been at least snapping at the heels of Red Bull if not indeed beating them a few times. (that’s not anti Red Bull, just would love to see another team mixing it with them)
Sad F1 Fan
3rd November 2019, 11:08
How could he? Renault haven’t made a single effort to try and compete with the top during the hybrid era.
They expected to be at the top of charts by the end of this rule set due to convergence. They have never hidden that F1 is marketing for Renault, they have no interest in the sporting aspect, they just want to sell more cars.
Nulla Pax (@nullapax)
3rd November 2019, 12:07
I had (naively it now seems) believed that by hiring Danny Ric they were proclaiming an intention to get serious about competing with the top teams.
I was wrong. Have a go at me for being foolish, I have to accept that I was, but I’m still going to go through life being optimistic and hoping for better things ;)
DB-C90 (@dbradock)
3rd November 2019, 13:53
I had too @nullapax in fact I’d tipped him to go there at the beginning of 2018 because I’d thought that they were intending to put in the effort and investment to get back to the front.
Been a fair amount disappointed by them this year. They still don’t seem to be showing the sort of intensity you’d expect.
F1oSaurus (@)
3rd November 2019, 12:49
What? hey have increase their budget and they are restructuring the team.
They ARE trying to compete, but you could argue it’s going slower than (they) hoped.
@nullapax You’re not wrong. They clearly trying to improve their situation. Probably they are a bit more focused on 2021 though.
knightameer (@knightameer)
3rd November 2019, 11:00
And Riccardo should accept that he made a terrible decision moving to Renault from a race winning car.
F1oSaurus (@)
3rd November 2019, 12:53
@knightameer You can see what happens with the #2 car at Red Bull. It was already getting worse and worse in 2018, but Ricciardo obviously saw that it was only going to get worse still with Horner and Marko vowing to build the team around Verstappen.
Ricciardo’s bet might still pay out. Renault keeps on building up their team. We’ll have to see what happens in 2021 and onwards after the budget cap will bring Renault budget closer to that of the top 3 teams.
Edvaldo
3rd November 2019, 15:28
Remember a year ago when his car broke down on Mexico when he was in 2nd place. He said he didn’t want to drive it anymore.
And you think it was a bad decision? His time at Red Bull was done. He had to move. Unfortunately, the best option he had was the awful Renault team.
Peter
3rd November 2019, 15:41
At least he went to the company that made the parts that kept failing.
Almost no failures anymore in red bull since they left renault.
Annette
4th November 2019, 4:11
Doesn’t seem to be anymore wins though.
Sad F1 Fan
3rd November 2019, 12:25
Everyone is foolish in their lifetime ;)
Besides, Renault is very good in producing slick talk trying to deceive or misinform people.
But joing Renault is why people thought that Riccairdo had given up on his racing career, you don’t leave a team that is fully committed to winning the championships, for a team that isn’t committed.
Steven Robertson (@emu55)
3rd November 2019, 12:46
Renault were the same when Red Bull were using their engine, they seem more focussed on beating teams they supply engines to rather than trying to beat Mercedes or Ferrari.
F1oSaurus (@)
3rd November 2019, 12:54
@emu55 Well it makes sense to first try to beat the team within your grasp than immediately try to beat the teams further ahead still.