Ricciardo expecting 'intra-building' battle with Max and Felipe

Red Bull Racing's Daniel Ricciardo failed to put himself in the mix for a place among the top four spots for tomorrow's Russian Grand Prix.

The Aussie, who clocked in fifth, a massive 1.7 seconds adrift of poleman Sebastian Vettel, wasn't all that disappointed however, admitting the position was where he expected to be.

"To be honest, I'd rather look at the position than the time," Ricciardo said.

"We knew this was going to be the highest achievable position in qualifying today, that's what we came into the weekend fighting for.

Vettel and Raikkonen lock out Sochi front row

Ricciardo reiterated his belief that Sochi was simply not a circuit well-suited to Red Bull, which means that the Milton Keynes outfit and the Honey Badger will most probably remain in damage limitation mode tomorrow.

"We know this circuit is not our strength, it's obviously not a nice thing to know," explained Ricciardo.

"I think last year I was 1.7s off pole, so I'm about 1.8s this year. And two races time from now we were actually on pole, so things can turn around. I'm definitely going to stay positive.

"We can hope to stay in the top five (tomorrow), that's going to be our realistic target."

Ricciardo joked about the prospect of a with Max Verstappen and Felipe Massa, his fellow residents in Monte-Carlo..

"Unfortunately there will probably be a battle with the guys I'm around rather than the guys in front.

"We all live in the same building in Monaco, Massa, Verstappen and me, so we might have a little 'intra-building' battle tomorrow.

"So maybe Max can give us his big apartment for the weekend if we beat him!"

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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.