Daniel Ricciardo says “we are pretty competitive” after he and Red Bull team-mate Daniil Kvyat consistently ran at the front during Friday free practice for the returning Mexican Grand Prix.
Despite tricky track conditions at the newly-resurfaced Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, the Australian stayed out of trouble to clock the fifth and third fastest times across both sessions, logging a respectable 56 laps along the way.
“It’s pretty good,” said Ricciardo. “I think the track has got a lot more potential, in terms of it’s so slippery out there. Even in the afternoon when it was dry the high-speed stuff was still very slippery as if it was still damp.
“I think it’s just the new track and a bit of water this morning and probably the oil from the tarmac coming up, once it grips up I think it will be pretty fun. The layout is pretty cool, the facilities are pretty good. This is not a bad Friday for us a team, we seem pretty competitive.
Renault-powered Ricciardo and his squad were braced for a tough outing at the new-look Mexican Grand Prix venue due its high altitude and immense, Monza-like main straight.
With top-end speeds north of 360kph, Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez does share some similarities with Italy’s Temple of Speed, a place where Red Bull struggled earlier this year.
While Ricciardo admits that his Mercedes- and Ferrari-engined rival always unlock more performance on qualifying day, the 26-year-old likes his chances this weekend.
“I think what you lose from the engine and everything you gain from the air’s so thin. I think the car is a lot more slippery, from what I understand, down the straights. It still feels pretty quick to be honest.”
“We seem competitive today, I don’t know how much Mercedes, Ferrari and Williams have tomorrow but seeing that the straights are long I think we’re doing okay.”
Ricciardo and Red Bull are still using the older Renault power unit specification, having turned down the French manufacturer's offer to run its latest evolution at the USGP.
AS IT HAPPENED: Mexican Grand Prix FP2
Eric Silbermann's Mexican grumpy preview
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