Ricciardo: Red Bull F1 team most prepared for season since I joined
Daniel Ricciardo says Red Bull is more prepared for the upcoming Formula 1 campaign than it has been before during his time at the team

Red Bull's 2018 RB14 covered 783 laps during the two weeks of pre-season testing in Barcelona in the hands of Ricciardo and team-mate Max Verstappen.
That total is more than the team managed across two weeks last year, or the three weeks in 2014 at the start of the V6 turbo hybrid era, but fewer than it had logged in '15 and '16.
But with all teams's mileage affected by difficult weather conditions in the opening week, Ricciardo is convinced Red Bull has not been this well prepared for the season opener since he was promoted to the senior team from Toro Rosso ahead of the 2014 campaign.
"We're certainly more ready than we were last year - and probably every year before that since I've been with the team," Ricciardo said.
"We did a lot of laps, I think the pace of the car is not bad - we still have some things to improve, [but] it's normal.
"But going to the [first] race and having confidence to push the car on the limit and push the engine a little bit, I think we have much more confidence now."
Ricciardo said Red Bull had completed the planned programme it had set out over the two weeks.
"It's not always the case, especially the last few years it's been tough for us," he added.
"Last week it was frustrating, I felt like we were losing track time and losing testing time before the season. But this week fortunately we got to do a lot more."
Ferrari set the fastest outright lap during testing, but Red Bull has frequently been named as the biggest threat to reigning champion team Mercedes.

Ricciardo believes that Red Bull is closer to the sharp end of the grid, but does not think the RB14 is the car to beat.
"I think we're looking OK," he said. "I don't think we're yet the fastest car, I think we've still got to find a bit of time, but I think we'll be close enough to be in the hunt."
Asked if Red Bull was now between Mercedes and Ferrari in the pecking order, he said: "The other day [it looked] maybe a bit like that, but Ferrari turned it up the last couple of days, they had pretty good pace.
"And then you see some other teams throw in some quick times.
"I think we still do have some lap time to find, but I do believe we're in the ballpark.
"What does 'the ballpark' mean? I don't know. We're there or thereabouts."

Previous article
F1 testing: Raikkonen keeps Ferrari on top on final day at Barcelona
Next article
F1 testing: Bullish Mercedes has soft-tyre doubts from Barcelona

About this article
Series | Formula 1 |
Drivers | Daniel Ricciardo |
Teams | Red Bull Racing |
Author | Erwin Jaeggi |
Ricciardo: Red Bull F1 team most prepared for season since I joined
The clues Hamilton’s F1 contract afterthought gives to his future
The Formula 1 world reacted with surprise when it learned Lewis Hamilton’s long-awaited new Mercedes deal guarantees his presence on the grid only until the end of 2021. Both parties claimed publicly they were happy with the arrangement but, asks MARK GALLAGHER, is there more to it than that?
How a harshly ejected Red Bull star has been hooked by racing again
Driver-turned-DJ Jaime Alguersuari lost his love for motorsport when he was booted out of Formula 1 just as he was starting to polish his rough edges. Having drifted from category to category then turned his back on racing altogether in 2015, he’s come full circle and is planning a return in karts for fun
Why Mercedes isn't confident it's really ahead of Red Bull at Imola
While Mercedes struck back against Red Bull by topping the times at Imola on Friday ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, the overall picture remains incredibly close. Despite having a possible edge this weekend, the reigning Formula 1 world champion squad is not taking anything for granted...
What Mercedes must do to keep its F1 title challenge on track
Mercedes may find itself leading the drivers' and constructors' standings after Lewis Hamilton's victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix, but it is well-aware that it came against the odds, with Red Bull clearly ahead on pace. Here's what the Brackley team must do to avoid its crown slipping
Why Tsunoda can become Japan’s greatest F1 talent
While Japan's fever for motor racing is well-documented, the country has yet to produce a Formula 1 superstar – but that could be about to change, says BEN EDWARDS
Why the demise of F1's hypocritical spending habit is cause for celebration
For too long, F1's richest teams have justified being able to spend as much as they want because that's the way they've always conducted their business. STUART CODLING says that's no reason not to kick a bad habit
The double whammy that is defining Vettel’s F1 fate
It's been a tough start to Sebastian Vettel's Aston Martin F1 career, with a lack of pre-season testing mileage followed by an incident-packed Bahrain GP. But two key underlying factors mean a turnaround is not guaranteed
The diva that stole a march on F1’s wide-bodied opposition
In 2017 new F1 technical regulations were supposed to add drama - and peg Mercedes back. STUART CODLING looks at the car which, while troubled, set the stage for the wide-bodied Formula 1 era