Daniel Ricciardo thinks Red Bull will be ‘closer to Williams’ at Silverstone thanks to the aerodynamic updates the team plans on bringing to next weekend’s British Grand Prix.

The energy drink giant had a difficult home race in Austria last Sunday, with Ricciardo and team-mate Daniil Kvyat both having to serve grid penalties and eventually finishing 10th and 12th respectively at the Red Bull Ring.

And though he only finished eighth in the final day of in-season testing, the Australian remained upbeat about the fresh evolutions the Milton Keynes-based squad will introduce on its RB11 at Silverstone.

“We will have some updates there, some aerodynamic pieces and part, which should be good so I’m looking forward to that,” he said. “I think we’ll be closer to Williams. I’m not sure we’ll get ahead of them there but we’ll be closer.

“I think naturally the circuit will suit our car, let’s say the characteristics of what we have right now. It’s a circuit I’ve always enjoyed so I always get excited going to Silverstone.”

Following Tuesday’s wash out at the Red Bull Ring, Ricciardo managed to log 116 laps in the Renault-powered RB11 but the Australian caused one of the two late red flags when he stopped his car on pit entry.

“It was just a little bit strange. We had a small failure inside the car. Basically the brake pedal just got stuck on and then the brakes overheated and they caught on a little bit of fire. The guys turn it around in half an hour and we got back out there for one last run.”

Red Bull currently occupies fourth position in the Constructors' championship, some 74 points off third-placed Williams.

Click here for pictures from the final day of in-season testing in Austria

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Julien Billiotte

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