Ricciardo eager for evening F1 test run to 'complete the picture' for McLaren

Daniel Ricciardo believes he will be more comfortable in this year's McLaren Formula 1 car once he gets to drive it under the floodlights in Bahrain.

The Australian has topped both morning sessions so far in pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit. 

The new McLaren has impressed many during testing with its innovative diffuser design attracting a lot of attention.

With the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix taking place under the floodlights, Ricciardo is itching to give the MCL35M a spin in more representative conditions.

Reflecting on his performance so far in testing, Ricciardo said: “I think it’s all gone pretty smooth. I don’t know what could have gone better yet past the lap times but generally it’s been pretty good and we’ve done most runs that we’ve planned. I do the evening session tomorrow, and I think that will just complete the picture.

“That’s obviously when we race here and qualify, so that’ll give me a better understanding of where the limit of the car is, in let’s say, more optimum conditions.”

Ricciardo believes driving in the evening session on day three will allow him to truly acclimatise to his new surroundings.

“It’s a tough one,” Ricciardo added. “You never want to admit that you are not driving to the limit yet or anything, but the reality is that it does take a little bit of time to execute it 100 percent. I think I’m certainly getting close, but am I truly at one with the car yet?

“Not yet. I expect to get a fair bit out of myself tomorrow in the evening session and I expect to start getting closer to that.

“From a race weekend and dialing into strategic stuff with the team and going through a race simulation, I’m pretty comfortable. I think it’s really just me getting comfortable within myself and the car. It naturally takes a bit of time but I don’t really want to give myself the time.”