Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has admitted the four-time world champions never expected to be this competitive at this stage of the season.
With two podiums and a race win already this season Red Bull have already improved on last year’s performances after just six races in 2016.
After Ricciardo’s second place finish in Monaco the team now sits third in the constructors championship just nine points behind Ferrari and 76 behind current leaders and world champions Mercedes. This marks a huge step forward for the team who finished the 2015 campaign fourth in the constructors championship.
The upgraded Renault power unit and renewed confidence in the French manufacturers ability to produce a competitive engine is thought to be a major part of Red Bull’s improved form and with both Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen expected to have the most recent upgraded Renault power unit in Canada their upturn in fortunes is expected to continue.
“We didn’t expect to be anywhere near as competitive as we have been in the first part of the year,” Christian Horner told Autosport.
“In pre-season we felt we would be more competitive over the second half of the year, and I still believe that will be the case.
“What’s surprised us is how competitive we have been since Melbourne, and the results we’ve had, notably in Barcelona where we beat Ferrari fair and square.
“So I don’t think anybody could have expected the start to the year we’ve had, but we are definitely in the ascendancy, you can feel that, that buzz, within the whole factory.”
Whilst Horner is happy with the progress they have made he isn’t expecting his team to overhaul Mercedes at the top just yet but Red Bull are targeting future battles with the Mercedes’s and Ferrari’s in the races to come.
“Our challenge is to try and close the gap to Mercedes, to take on the Ferraris when and where we can,” added Horner.
“To have achieved a victory already at this point in the year is certainly way beyond our expectations.
“It would perhaps be getting slightly ahead of ourselves to suggest we can push Mercedes in the championship given it the dominance it has enjoyed, even this year.
“But the target is, obviously, to close that gap down and attack them race by race.
“We’ve clearly a good engine now, and the chassis is just so strong, which is down to a great technical that has done a great job so far.”
