Daniel Ricciardo is not surprised by Red Bull’s attempt to adopt a new concept with the RB20. The Australian driver explains that the team is not one to rest on its laurels and will want to completely dominate its rivals.
“I feel like it’s a team that operates at its best when it’s winning,” Ricciardo stated. “It’s like when they win, they want to completely crush the competition.”
“It’s not like they say ‘we’re winning, let’s go on vacation.’ It’s more like ‘Let’s really make a statement.’ I think that’s what they’ve done this year. After the 2023 season, the most dominant, they are now unveiling a car that has impressed me.”
Ricciardo applauds Red Bull’s approach, which always seeks to surpass itself, and names Adrian Newey, the designer of the RB20, as the driving force behind this motivation: “I feel like they have had the most changes in a way, and that’s saying something.”
“I love seeing Adrian near the car, and I don’t feel uncomfortable pinpointing Adrian because I know it’s not just Adrian, but it’s clear that he plays a significant role. And it’s really cool to see.”
“Whether I’m part of the family or not, as a fan, I love seeing this kind of relentless approach and response to such a strong year. I know fans watching the race from their couch are thinking ‘I want someone to challenge Red Bull this year.’ But you have to admire their approach.”
If Red Bull were to do better than in 2023, the team would win every race. But Ricciardo doesn’t believe it: “It seems almost impossible. It’s because of the number of races there are, and whether there is a wet race or not.”
“Teams have brought a new car for the season, and I’m sure it will still be capable of winning races, but I’m not sure if it’s too early to be confident that it will be as dominant as last year.”
“They will win races. I’m sure of it. But I wouldn’t go as far as to say they will be unbeatable. I think Formula 1 is too unpredictable. I think they will do very good things, but yes, it’s too early to be confident.”
