Daniel Ricciardo says he is pleased to notice that his strong 2016 Formula One campaign “has been recognised”, despite the Red Bull ace still looking for a win this year.
The Australian currently sits third in the Drivers’ championship, having scored in all but one race ahead of this weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix. Ricciardo has also secured five podium finishes and would have won in Monaco but for a botched pit stop from his team.
However, the 27-year-old has also seen his new team-mate Max Verstappen steal the limelight, be it for his record-breaking win in Spain or his antics on and off track.
“The good thing is I feel it’s been recognised,” said Ricciardo of his level of performance. “The team will always recognise it, because they see more than the outside, they see what you’re doing in the engineer’s office, but they also see the data, so they recognise if you’re getting the most out of the car.
“But it’s not always the case on the outside, and it’s easy to look at results and say he didn’t win, Max won, so he wasn’t as good this year. But I definitely feel that the outside you can see the level I’ve been driving at, so I’m pretty happy.
“Again I’d love to get a win but I definitely feel I’ve delivered, up until this point this year I feel that every time I’ve delivered so I’m happy with that. Like I said it hasn’t gone unnoticed, so I’m comfortable with that.”
Ricciardo is coming off another strong performance in Singapore, where he came within 0.4s of claiming his first race in two years.
The Perth-born driver had singled out the Marina Bay event as the best opportunity for him to make up for his Monaco disappointment, but that does not mean he has given up on increasing his three-win career tally.
“There’s always hope for sure. I don’t now picture myself at Christmas already thinking well I didn’t win a race this year, I still definitely have hope that something can happen, but sure I think on even terms and playing field that Singapore was our best shot.
“But things can happen, I’m still confident we can pull something out. I think after the race I said we still have to win this year and it will happen somehow, I’ve got faith.
“I feel like I’ve deserved a victory this year for sure, but I don’t believe that someone up there is going to give it to me, I don’t know I just like to have a bit of hope that we can at least have a shot again.”
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