Daniel Ricciardo insists he has no interest in “sticking it” to Red Bull, as he starts his new chapter with Renault.
There have been a few comments in recent weeks about what led the Australian to leave, most reverberating around Max Verstappen.
However, having now set his heart on helping Renault move forward, Ricciardo won’t be fussed who he passes should he achieve that goal.
“I know probably a lot of people think ‘Ah, if he were to beat Red Bull how good would that be? Sticking it to them’. But it’s honestly not like that. If we could overcome any of those top three I’d be stoked,” the seven-time Formula 1 race winner told Reuters.
“Seeing what I’ve seen so far (at Renault) I think there’s enough resources to get into that world. So I don’t think that’s unattainable for us.
“It might not be this year, but it’s not a permanent handicap, so to speak,” he concluded.
Also Read:
- Renault focusing on long-term progress not performance in Melbourne, says Ricciardo
- Ricciardo rejects running away from Verstappen: ‘I love a good fight’
- Ricciardo wants to be the ‘catalyst’ of progress at Renault
As a result, Ricciardo has also accepted there’s no point in expecting to beat his former team at his home race in Melbourne next weekend.
“I was aware when I signed the deal here that, at least come Melbourne, they (Red Bull) are going to be in front,” he said.
“Because I expect it, it’s not going to be a shock or anything like that. I’m not going to be bitter if they beat us in Melbourne. I feel now we’re still on a bit of a different journey.”
