Red Bull now developing RB13 in the right direction - Ricciardo

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Daniel Ricciardo believes Red Bull now has a firm grasp on the direction in which it needs to develop its RB13.

Following a difficult start to the season which saw Red Bull trail Mercedes and Ferrari by a country mile, a big upgrade introduced at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona pointed the team in the right direction on the development front.

And the last two races have enabled the Milton Keynes-based outfit to even better understand the weaknesses of its 2017-spec car thanks to almost perfect correlation between data and on-track performance.

"We've had a bit more consistency with feedback from myself and Max in the last few races, and more of what we're saying is now visible also on data, where early in the year maybe we'd say one thing but it wouldn't always show," Ricciardo explained.

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"It seems the correlation is a lot better the last few races. Now we're a lot more certain on the direction we need to go.

"From Barcelona, where we had the big update, some bits worked and some didn't and it was more clear to see from that point on what is working on this car and what isn't.

"I think we've got a proper direction now, as opposed to still trying to find a bit in the front and a bit in the rear."

The Aussie is counting on continuous upgrades, including from engine partner Renault, to keep the momentum going, although in the interim, the upcoming power-hungry venues could limit performance, as Christian Horner recently warned.

"I think our development will match the tracks, so I don't think we'll fall behind too much actually - I think we'll stay in there," Ricciardo said.

"Until the summer break we should get new things at every race, and in Baku we should get more help with an update from Renault," the Australian added.

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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.