Ricciardo sees half a second deficit to Mercedes

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Based on its pre-season testing from, Daniel Ricciardo evaluates Red Bull's current deficit to Mercedes to a little under half a second.

Speaking in Melbourne, Ricciardo previewed his chances for next weekend and insisted he wasn't worried about the power unit reliability issues which surfaced in Barcelona and which Renault have apparently resolved.

"From testing, it looked like less than half a second," said Ricciardo.

"I am not sure how much less. But less than half a second.

"I had a few hiccups during testing but it was nothing dramatic I would say," added the Aussie.

"So I think looking at the last few years, at least while I have been with the team, winter testing has never been flawless for us.

"I think this year was probably the best one up until my time with the team.

“I think our speed traps looked pretty good in Barcelona. We know we will not be as quick in a straight line but we are closer than where we were last year. We will see when everyone has it turned up this weekend.”

Verstappen rules out Red Bull win for now

Regardless of where he finishes on Sunday, Ricciardo knows it's a long haul to Abu Dhabi in November, with a lot that can happen in between.

"We know things can turnaround. The 2014 race here was pretty…. forget the result, even the reliability was pretty impressive considering what we had done in testing.

“It is not a concern for me. Throughout the season maybe things will happen, you have to be prepared for that, but we are coming here pretty confident – I would say with that.

"If we have the package to be in the mix, then I definitely feel I can do it."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.