Daniel Ricciardo is expecting a “totally different” Australian Grand Prix to recent times following the raft of changes made to the Albert Park circuit for 2022.
Formula 1 returns to Australia for the first time in two years this weekend after the past two races were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Ahead of its return to the calendar, the Melbourne track has undergone a major revamp in a bid to create better racing and increase overtaking opportunities.
Various corners have been reprofiled and made wider, while the circuit now features a much faster complex from Turn 6 to Turn 11 following the removal of the old Turn 9/10 chicane.
Lap times are expected to drop significantly from the previous layout, which had not been altered since the circuit joined the F1 calendar back in 1996.
Speaking ahead of his home race, Ricciardo backed the track changes to deliver more on-track action.
“It looks really good,” Ricciardo said about the new layout, as quoted by Motorsport.com. “I was a little bit involved in the talks about revamping the circuit a few years ago, when they had the first idea of, let’s say, what to do to try to make the racing a bit better.
“It’s always been a fun track but on Sundays it’s been a little bit tricky for overtaking, just because of the layout and the nature of it. So really, the idea was to try and open it up and just to make Sunday a bit more exciting, and have a few more overtakes. So yeah, it’s going to be much more flowing.”
Ricciardo believes McLaren’s upturn in form in Saudi Arabia bodes well for Melbourne, hoping the new layout will suit the MCL36.
“At Bahrain, the first race of the year, we were definitely struggling,” Ricciardo said. “It was quite a twisty technical track, then we went to Saudi, a lot more flowing. I think it is much more like Melbourne is going to be like this weekend, and we were a step more competitive. So hopefully it means good things.
“But I think as a race now, you’re going to see a totally different Sunday here.”
McLaren’s difficult start to the season has left Ricciardo in search of his first points finish of 2022, after the team was off the pace in Bahrain and he retired in Jeddah.
Acknowledging McLaren is not in a position to fight the top teams, Ricciardo said the minimum target on Sunday will be a top-10 finish.
“As simple as it sounds, I don’t have any points yet,” Ricciardo explained. “It’s only been two races, so to get into points is let’s say a start. That’s like a bare minimum.
“Realistically, the only thing that’s probably going to make everyone happy is a podium. So that’s what I would love. But truthfully we are still a bit off that.”
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