Categories: F1 News, Reports and Race ResultsRed Bull Racing

Kvyat feedback may hold Red Bull back

Daniel Ricciardo admits Daniil Kvyat's feedback could be hurting Red Bull compared to last season with Sebastian Vettel.

Red Bull has struggled so far this season, largely due to reliability issues with the Renault power unit. However, with the team also trying to develop the car more aggressively to make up for the deficit, Ricciardo admits his new team-mate's feedback to the engineers is still an unknown quantity which could be hurting matters.

"It’s a tough question to answer," Ricciardo said. "Seb had built very good relationships in the team and the feedback in the team was easy because of the time and experience with them. It is hard to quantify that. With Daniil, after the meetings he gives his feedback and what he feels in the car is what he feels. It is hard to say if it is right or wrong. I think he knows what he feels and from what I see he is explaining it as well as he can to the engineers.

"I would like to think it is not holding us back but it is hard to answer that. I think we are doing as well as we can, at least in trying to help the team. I am always thinking of ways we can help them and fast-track the progress but we are doing all we can."

And Ricciardo is trying to take it upon himself to offer the team a strong opinion due to his experience last season.

"I try to put a little bit more, not pressure on myself, but carry a bit more weight knowing I have a bit more experience. I am trying to help out that little extra percent if I can, but if I look back to my approach last year, it is still the same really.

"It all just counts with experience, that extra feedback I am giving the guys it might just be natural after an extra year with them. The results haven’t been what we wanted but I am still enjoying the challenge and when we do get the performance that we want it will be a very nice feeling."

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Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.