Hulkenberg expects Ricciardo to spill the beans on Red Bull

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Nico Hulkenberg expects new team mate Daniel Ricciardo to provide Renault with some valuable technical knowledge collected from his previous team, Red Bull Racing.

Formula 1's regulations are upgraded for this year with a series of aerodynamic changes, but Hulkenberg still believes the Aussie's insight could give Renault a technical boost.

"As drivers we're not engineers and certainly not aerodynamicists," the Hulk told Auto Motor und Sport.

"He cannot tell us how to make the bargeboard, but he could help us by explaining what Red Bull did with various systems or on setting up the car.

"He will certainly have some information from Red Bull for us, that will be interesting for sure," said the German who thinks Ricciardo's arrival at Renault will bring "a breath of fresh air" to a team that is pushing to close the gap to Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull.

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The 2019 aero tweaks, destined to improve overtaking, will include a simpler, larger front wing, simplified front brake ducts with no winglets and a wider, deeper rear wing.

The jury is still out however on whether the changes will allow a mid-field team such as Renault to edge significantly closer to F1's trio of front-runners.

"With the new front wings no one knows exactly where to go," Hulkenberg said.

"But it's not a full reboot, more of a soft reset. As a factory team, it must be our claim to be much closer to the front.

"In the last races we were missing between one and two seconds to the top teams, and we need to at least try to get rid of half of that."

But Hulkenberg also insists that Renault, which is still building up its base, will require time to bridge the gap with its rivals up ahead.

"It also took time for Ferrari and Red Bull to catch Mercedes. We need that same time," he added.

"Today nobody gets into Formula 1 and blows the others away. Everything has just become too complex for that. The first thing is finding the right people. It all takes time."

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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.