Ricciardo hopes Spanish F1 GP is an “anomaly” for Renault

Daniel Ricciardo hopes Renault’s performance struggles at the Spanish Grand Prix will prove to be an “anomaly” for the 2020 Formula 1 season. 

For the first time this season, Renault failed to score points after Ricciardo and teammate Estaban Ocon missed out on the top-10 in last Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix. 

Despite feeling improvements from its upgraded RS20 during back-to-back races at Silverstone, Ricciardo could only finish 11th in Barcelona, with Ocon down in 13th. 

But the Australian hopes Renault can bounce back at the upcoming rounds at Spa-Francorchamps and Monza given the high-speed nature of the two tracks should play to the strengths of the Enstone outfit’s package. 

“I certainly hope this weekend was a bit of an anomaly, a bit of an Achilles’ heel for us,” Ricciardo said after the race in Barcelona. 

“Everyone is so familiar with this [Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya] track, and to find something extra is challenging, but we have had good pace all year, and this did not quite correlate to that. So hopefully it is a one off. 

“We will obviously try and learn from it, and hopefully come Spa and Monza, these are tracks where we normally are pretty strong on. We should have a better run and put this one behind us.” 

Asked if he feels the team’s progress has been evident since pre-season, Ricciardo replied: “I’m still convinced the car is improved and better, and I’m still convinced that we can be a points car every other weekend. 

“Even in qualifying if we had that extra half a tenth, we start in the points and we probably would’ve finished there. 

“So we have just got to be perfect, and that goes on to us drivers as well. We can’t put a foot wrong because this midfield battle is so so tight.

"There was maybe a little bit there that we missed, but we'll have a look and try and figure out our mistakes, and do better in two weeks' time,” Ricciardo added. 

"It's a shame when with both cars you finish, but no points. I certainly feel it was a little bit more tricky for us round here than Silverstone, I think everyone else was more competitive, and it's a track that everyone knows so well.

“That already makes it a bit difficult in itself, finding that extra tenth. I think Spa could be better, you can overtake and have a bit more fun than around here.

"It's one of those tracks where it's a bit frustrating, you get close to another car and have a bit more pace, but it is hard and you lose grip from the tyres and downforce.

"I saw a chunk of points in front of me, we were all closing up to Vettel, but a little too late."