Daniel Ricciardo will be leaving the French team Renault at the end of 2020 season. But he thinks that the team has made progress. He was confident about team closing in on the top tier teams this season.
The Australian will be moving to McLaren, British Formula 1 Team, for a better prospect in 2021.
The decision came after Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel decided to part their ways. It opened a window of opportunity for drivers to shift teams. Carlo Sainz Jr. will be moving up to Ferrari vacating the position for Honey Badger at McLaren.
Despite his decision, Renault F1 Managing Director, Cyril Abiteboul, announces that the team will still be working with him on the development.
Similary, the driver has also shown his interest to give his best before moving out. Both wanted to make the best out of 2020.
In 2019, McLaren was fourth on constructors championship list winning ‘the best of the rest’ title. Renault was fifth on standing with 54 point behind British team. But Ricciardo proclaim for a better show this year.
Ricciardo claims a better performance this year based on winter testing. He spoke to Sky Sport and said: “What we took from testing in Barcelona, the midfield, at least from our predictions was like all within a tenth. I think there’s going to be four or five teams within a very, very small margin.
“I’d like to say that we have closed the gap to the top. Of course, the likes of Mercedes are still going to be pretty tricky to overcome, at least early in the season.
“But the midfield stuff, as you mentioned, you know Racing Point, McLaren, and all the other teams in there, it’s going to be tight.”
However, he admits to the fact the it is hard to predict midfielder winner this year. He considers it to be very tricky like a “flip of coin”, with equal possibility of winning for other teams.
He added, “I think as well, (for) us in the midfield, there’s a bit less to lose as far as risk and reward is concerned (as compared to the front-runners).
“I think we will take the chances and hopefully come off with a few big results, whether it’s 8 races, 12, 15 – who knows how many we get.”
Ricciardo wants to make the best out of this season with a podium as a partnership gift to Renault. He would thrive to reduce the 54 points gap of last year.
