Recharged Ricciardo 'keen to put Australia to one side'

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After his disappointing maiden race with Renault in Melbourne, Daniel Ricciardo has regrouped and will start from scratch next weekend in Bahrain.

Ricciardo's home race was hardly a source of satisfaction with an early demise caused by a scrappy launch off the grid. But Renault's new recruit has written off his first sortie.

"I’m keen to put Australia to one side," said the 29-year-old ahead of the second round of the 2019 world championship.

"It was a pretty frustrating weekend overall, even more so as the pace was clearly there for a good result.

"In qualifying, I personally felt I left something out there, which meant our starting spot wasn’t ideal. There’s not too much to say about the race.

"I quite like the circuit in Bahrain and I hope for an improved weekend. I’ve had a bit of rest and recovery between these two race weekends, so I head there feeling recharged."

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While Ricciardo will be targeting a rebound this week, Bahrain isn't without its own challenges.

"Bahrain is actually quite a tricky event," confirms the Honey Badger.

"Two of the three practice sessions are during the day when it’s really hot and both qualifying and the race are in the evening when the circuit is a lot cooler.

"Adapting to different set-ups is quite key in Bahrain. It can vary a lot between the sessions, so that’s something to keep in mind during the preparation.

"Any hot race is physical for a driver and Bahrain can be a challenge in that area too."

Contrary to Australia, a good performance in qualifying would provide Ricciardo with a good foundation from which to build on race day.

"It’s a circuit I’ve always enjoyed racing at," he says.

"There are some decent overtaking spots on a lap, and it will be interesting to see if there’s any difference in cars following each other there especially down the main straight.

"Hopefully we can be in amongst it this weekend, but first we need to ensure we’re quick in qualifying and be at the top end of the midfield."

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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.