Ricciardo's RB13 'came to life' after wing change

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Daniel Ricciardo struggled for speed in the first part of the Chinese Grand Prix, but a wing adjustment on his second stop brought back the balance of his Red Bull.

The Australian suffered from a lack of grip early on, forcing him to relinquish second place to charging team mate Max Verstappen. But a front wing change on the RB13 positively altered his car's behaviour.

Both Red Bull cars battled it out in the closing stages of the race and Verstappen succeeded in keeping Ricciardo at bay despite the latter's improved performance.

"That first stint was frustrating," Ricciardo said.

"I was trying to hang on, obviously, but I don’t think it was a fight I was ever going to come out winning.

"The second pitstop allowed us then to make a change. It came to life. We gave it some front wing, got the front tyres working, and we were a lot of quicker."

Ricciardo insists Red Bull needs 'to find more speed'

Earlier, Ricciardo also found himself locked in a huge battle for position with Sebastian Vettel's Ferrari, with the two men spectacularly touching wheels at full speed at one point much to everyone's thrill and pleasure.

"I was honestly a bit bored so I just thought let’s bang some wheels and get the crowd excited!," he joked after the race.

"I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t intentional, but I knew there was no harm done. A little bit of a smoke for the fans."

GALLERY: All the pictures from Sunday in Shanghai

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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.