Red Bull’s new and rising star, Daniel Ricciardo, is positive that his defending four-time world champion team-mate Sebastian Vettel is more than capable of striking back to the front of the field after a difficult first half to the 2014 season.
Vettel, who has won the previous four Formula One world championships, is only a dismal sixth in the standings after the first nine races, and still does not look comfortable in this new format of Formula One racing. Red Bull have been great benefactors of the ‘off-throttle blown diffuser’ device that worked so well on their 2011 car, but since they have been banned and new engines regulations also being brought into play; Red Bull have become the hunters, rather than the hunted.
After winning the final nine races of the season in 2013 consecutively, Vettel has only managed to reach the podium twice with two third place finishes after the opening nine races in 2014. The world champion has also suffered three retirements from the Australian, Monaco and Austrian GP’s. He has been out-raced consistently by Ricciardo, who picked up his first ever Formula One victory at this year’s Canadian Grand Prix. However, the Aussie believes that Vettel will be more than capable of fighting back to his best, which saw him clinch four magnificent titles in a row.
“I don’t know if the word is ‘improve’ or ‘get better’, because he is very good, but I’m sure his form is going to come,” Ricciardo told reporters at testing at Silverstone on Tuesday.
“Germany [Vettel’s home race] I’m sure he’s going to be really hungry to show his home that he’s ready to take it on.
“I’m excited if there’s a bit more in him because that will bring a bit more out in both of us.
“Germany he’ll be hungrier than ever, so it will be a good battle.”
Vettel has never won at Hockenheim, where the German GP is scheduled to be held, and with it being a track that has long straights, and would require good engine power, it would seem that he will have to wait another two years before he can fight for victory at Hockenheim.
“There are a few long straights there and on paper it’s probably not the circuit that suits us the best to be honest,” Ricciardo continued.
“We’re constantly trying to find more, we’re not going to find tonnes of horsepower overnight. All the improvements we get will be subtle.
“The third sector will be good for us, but the first two I think we’ll leak a bit of time. I think we can be more optimistic for Budapest.”
