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A assured Daniel Ricciardo believes he’ll be combating for a spot among the many top-ten in qualifying on Saturday in Mexico, having clocked in a formidable sixth with AlphaTauri in Friday’s FP2.
After a two-month break to nurse his fractured left hand again to full power, Ricciardo returned to the monitor final week in Austin.
However the Aussie’s comeback was a disappointing affair at The Circuit of the Americas the place he closed out the sphere on Sunday after scuffling with a broken automobile and an ill-timed pit cease.
Nonetheless, a full day of follow on Friday on the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez coupled with set-up adjustments that now permit him to raised exploit AlphaTauri’s newest upgrades propelled Ricciardo up the ranks in FP2.
After all, the stand-out efficiency requires affirmation, one which the 34-year-old hopes will are available qualifying this afternoon.
“I’m positively assured,” stated Ricciardo after Friday’s periods. “I can’t stand right here and predict the place I can be as a result of who is aware of in quali and what different groups would possibly do with gasoline or engines.
“However I do know what I felt within the automobile was good, and I consider that could be a top-10 automobile tomorrow. A top-six automobile can be good. I’ll attempt to maintain that going.”
Ricciardo admitted that after his depressing run to P17 in Austin, he was “fairly hungry” to get again on monitor and show his tempo in Mexico Metropolis.
“I obtained again to the resort Sunday evening, and I needed it was Friday in Mexico,” he recalled. “I used to be actually fairly, fairly hungry to maintain going after Austin.
“There have been additionally some issues we found after the race that made me wish to get again on monitor and show we do clearly have some tempo, so it (Mexico follow) was enjoyable. I do get pleasure from this place as properly. It’s good.
“We made good progress with a number of little issues with arrange, which if it hadn’t been for the dash weekend in Austin we’d have tried there.
“From the get-go, we had been actually comfy, after which we simply chipped away at it. In order that’s optimistic. And I used to be simply able to go. It’s good to drive.
“I’m very, very hungry and motivated, which feels good, and it appears to be like like we’re in an excellent place, however it is vitally shut.
“We had been P6, which is nice, so not too massive a niche to the entrance, but additionally behind its shut. So now it’s about placing it collectively (for qualifying).”
©AlphaTauri
In Austin, the weekend’s compressed schedule offered no alternative to dig in, search and extract efficiency from AlphaTauri’s up to date charger.
Whereas Mexico Metropolis and its excessive altitude supply their very own set of challenges, Ricciardo believes that he has actually gained an excellent understanding and a greater feeling for his automobile in Friday’s trouble-free pair of periods.
“Clearly it’s excessive downforce however low grip, however I feel simply with a bit larger wing I might really feel the automobile squat a bit nicer within the second sector in that form of flip-flop part,” remarked Ricciardo.
“We’re in all probability nonetheless not a top-10 automobile within the excessive pace however I do really feel prefer it’s a bit extra related beneath the rear and that felt good.
“To have an excellent feeling with the automobile round right here is almost unattainable due to the altitude, and even the quick vehicles don’t at all times really feel that good right here.
“So contemplating some strengths that I felt on a grip degree like this, I feel it’s optimistic.”
©AlphaTauri
With confidence an important element of a driver’s capability to carry out, Ricciardo means that his poise and assurance at the moment are again to the extent they had been earlier than his mishap at Zandvoort.
“The lap earlier than I crashed in Zandvoort, I used to be feeling fairly good,” stated Ricciardo. “We made some adjustments earlier than that P2, and it was a route we had been taking a look at going, and that felt good till it didn’t.
“In order that was what we had been capable of pursue somewhat bit extra [on Friday], and I feel it’s a place the place I’m positively extra comfy with this automobile and really feel like I can assault it the way in which I like.
“Clearly, I’m very complimentary and optimistic – that’s a truth, however we’ll nonetheless keep level-headed (for qualifying). Nevertheless it’s good to be driving and simply able to kick some ass.”
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