Ricciardo says RB14 development brought forward in attempt to avoid another slow start to season
Wednesday 18 October 2017 11:53, UK
Daniel Ricciardo says Red Bull have made an early start on the development of their 2018 car in an attempt to avoid a slow start to next season.
The former world champions were expected to be Mercedes' closest challengers this year but a difficult start to the season saw their title ambitions evaporate before May's Spanish GP.
Red Bull's early struggles were put down to wind tunnel correlation issues but their performances have once again improved greatly with development upgrades as the season has progressed.
Ricciardo revealed work on the RB14 had been brought forward as Red Bull look to hit the ground running from the off in 2018.
"I always feel like out starts to the season have been slow, particularly since I've been with the team, but as far as I'm aware that's not planned," he said.
"We definitely get stronger and it's a nice trend to get better and better but we'd like to start better. I still don't really know the answer why that is.
"We always feel like we start on the next year's car early enough but maybe what we think is early isn't early enough. I know for next year it has been brought forward more than it was for this year.
"It's never the intention not to be on the podium in Melbourne, it's probably more my intention than any other race."
In recent weeks Red Bull have matched or bettered the race pace of Mercedes and Ferrari, recording double podium finishes in both Malaysia - where Max Verstappen won - and Japan.
Ricciardo is about to enter the final year of his contract at Red Bull and has previously said he feels ready to win his first world championship.
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Asked by Sky F1's David Croft in Japan if the team needed to provide him with a championship-contending car from the outset to keep him, Ricciardo said: "Because there are not many changes next year, what we learn hopefully from this year hopefully we take to next year and we start stronger.
"If next year's not a very competitive season at all then, of course, that (my future) will then be addressed.
"I feel I've said it every time this year but where we are now this year, you'd think next year we should be competitive. Mercedes have been winning for too long - we'll try to change that."
Red Bull have traditionally been among the last teams to design and launch their car in a bid to maximise development time, but Verstappen concurred with his team-mate that a change in approach may prove beneficial.
"I think just some different things in procedures, maybe not so late with the car in terms of bringing it out," Verstappen said.
"Maybe just stop it a bit earlier at that time, the development, but then drive the car because you learn a lot in driving the car.
"But for sure they have learned from what happened also this year, with the new regulations. I am very confident that next year it will be a lot better from the start already."
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