Ricciardo savours Barcelona buzz

Daniel Ricciardo says he truly enjoys “the real buzz” surrounding the Spanish Grand Prix, as the Formula One season is scheduled to resume its course at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya next weekend.

The Red Bull driver has experienced a mixed start to his 2015 campaign so far, with the Milton Keynes-based team and engine supplier Renault both struggling to iron out a series of technical issues.

Ricciardo still managed to make it four points finishes out of four races, although his best result was a pair of low-key P6s in Australia and Bahrain. The Australian currently sits seventh in the Drivers’ championship while Red Bull is fourth in the Constructors’ standings, albeit a long way behind the leading trio.

The Austrian outfit and its French power unit partner are bringing several upgrades to Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, which hosts its 25^th Spanish Grand Prix this year, in an effort to close the gap to third-placed Williams.

Returning to one of the sport’s more traditional venues also has Ricciardo fired up. The 25-year-old truly relishes the overall atmosphere of the event and thinks DRS (Drag Reduction System) has been spicing things up at Montmeló.

“We have a great atmosphere for the race,” said the three-time grand prix winner. “The circuit cuts into the hillside so there’s lots of good viewing areas and, so long as Alonso’s on track, it’s pretty crazy. That’s great for all of us, not just Fernando. It’s going to be good with three Spanish drivers in this year’s race. There’ll be a real buzz.

“The race itself. I think it’s one where DRS is a big plus point. In the past, because everyone knew the track and their setup so well, races tended to be a bit stale. I think the DRS means that you don’t get dull races any more. You can still defend though – it’s a good track for that – but in a way that’s going to make the race exciting for spectators.”

Click here for a look at the radical Honda power unit design

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