Ricciardo tells Red Bull to be selfish amid Renault uncertainty

Daniel Ricciardo says Red Bull needs to be selfish when planning how it will become a winning team again in the future.

Renault is working on a takeover of Lotus which would see the French engine manufacturer return to being a constructor in F1, while Red Bull would then have to look for a new power unit supplier. With Mercedes ruling out a deal, it appears Red Bull is likely to become a Ferrari customer.

Speaking at the Karting World Championship at Le Mans yesterday, where his own karting team was competing, Ricciardo revealed he is desperate to get back on the podium but wants Red Bull to focus on future success.

“I really want to stand on the podium again,” Ricciardo said. “I realised in Budapest that standing on the podium is a feeling you miss. I want that again. In Singapore, I believe we have a good chance and maybe in Suzuka too. After that, who knows; if we get some engine updates from Renault then maybe we could challenge in Austin or Abu Dhabi. Otherwise, it’s a case of just keep pushing and look towards next year.

“Some aspects have been frustrating and disappointing but this is sport and it’s important that, as a team we think smart and look towards the future. We have to do what’s best for us. We want success and we have the right people in the team to have that success. If the future means we have to look for something new, that’s what we must do.”

However, Ricciardo insists he has not found this season overly frustrating having seen progress from a disappointing starting point.

“The difficult time has past: the first few races of this season were okay actually, because you think ‘OK, it will get better’. Then you have a few more races and when it’s no better, then it becomes more difficult. But then, you change your mentality and for myself, I’m seeing a far more positive side to everything and I can see that in the team as well. The car is a lot better, the bad days are over and we are looking at the positives.

“I’m not worried about the future and we have the right people to make the decisions and I believe we are powerful enough to fight for what we want. I want to be able to fight for wins again.”

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