25 March 2019
Back on it - Q&A with Daniel Ricciardo
The season-opener on home soil proved unlucky for Daniel Ricciardo. But the Australian is keen to dust that to one side as he aims for a better outing in the Bahrain desert.
How do you plan to bounce back after Melbourne?
I’m keen to put Australia to one side. It was a pretty frustrating weekend overall, even more so as the pace was clearly there for a good result. In qualifying, I personally felt I left something out there, which meant our starting spot wasn’t ideal. There’s not too much to say about the race. I quite like the circuit in Bahrain and I hope for an improved weekend. I’ve had a bit of rest and recovery between these two race weekends, so I head there feeling recharged.
What are the main considerations for Bahrain?
Bahrain is actually quite a tricky event. Two of the three practice sessions are during the day when it’s really hot and both qualifying and the race are in the evening when the circuit is a lot cooler. Adapting to different set-ups is quite key in Bahrain. It can vary a lot between the sessions, so that’s something to keep in mind during the preparation. Any hot race is physical for a driver and Bahrain can be a challenge in that area too.
Where are the key areas on a lap?
It’s a circuit I’ve always enjoyed racing at. There are some decent overtaking spots on a lap, and it will be interesting to see if there’s any difference in cars following each other there especially down the main straight. Turn 1 is a good place to send one, usually there are two, three, maybe four cars battling down there on race day. Turn 4 as well can be a nice place to pass if you can find some speed through Turns 2 and 3. Hopefully we can be in amongst it this weekend, but first we need to ensure we’re quick in qualifying and be at the top end of the midfield.