Ricciardo: We could be in for a crazy race at the Ring!

Renault's Daniel Ricciardo reckons the Eifel Grand Prix could spring a shocker based on the inclement weather that is likely to surround the Nürburgring next weekend.

The German track owes its presence on the 2020 calendar to this year's COVID-19 truncated schedule that has forced F1 to rebuild its agenda by focusing in priority on European venues.

News last summer of a return of F1 to the Nürburgring was greeted enthusiastically by most drivers, but many were also apprehensive of the October date, and the rain disrupted 24-hour touring car race that took place recently at the venue has only heightened fears of cold and muddy waters setting in next weekend.

"The weather report looks quite cold and wet, so it’ll be very different to our last few races where it’s been warm," noted Ricciardo.

"It’ll be interesting to see how the car behaves in these conditions. Overall, given the time of year it could be quite an unpredictable weekend so we could be in for a crazy race.

"Let’s see what happens, I’ll be ready regardless of the weather!"

Ricciardo's Renault teammate Esteban Ocon says the chilly and rainy forecast, should it pan out, with definitely spice up proceedings.

"I think it is going to be quite spicy," he said. "At the moment, it is eight degrees or something.

"I have a few friends who raced at the 24 hours of the Nürburgring and it doesn’t look too good.

"We are going there when it will be potentially even colder so it is going to be completely different, for the tyres, obviously, to get them to temperature, for the car set up and anything can happen going back to the north of Europe with a bit of rain and stuff."

• Read also: Pirelli forecasting race 'with many variables' at Nürburgring

Come what may on the weather front, both Ricciardo and Ocon are looking forward to their visit to the Ring.

"I last drove the Nürburgring in 2013 so it’s been a while, but I am looking forward to racing the circuit again," said the Aussie.

"I’ve not raced there too often in my career, but I qualified sixth in 2013 and I also had a purple last sector in Q2 that year. I was quite new to Formula 1 then, so I was pretty stoked!"

In the event of rain, Ocon reckons Renault is well equipped to deal with a wet track.

"We know we are quite capable of doing well in the rain," said the Frenchman.

"The car has been quite strong in Barcelona winter testing in the rain, I have qualified fifth in Austria in the rain so if it rains, we should be in decent shape as well."

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