Daniel Ricciardo believes his performances for Red Bull across the 2016 season feel more convincing than his three victories in 2014.
In his first season after being promoted to Red Bull from Toro Rosso, Ricciardo won three races and finished third in the drivers' championship behind Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. Last season saw former team-mate Sebastian Vettel take three wins as Ferrari leapfrogged Red Bull, but a return to form this year from the Milton Keynes outfit ensured Ricciardo was again best of the rest.
While Ricciardo only won once this season - in Malaysia - compared to three times two years ago, the Australian believes he performed at a higher level in 2016.
"I finished third in 2014 of course and won three times that year and just once this time, but this year's third feels better, feels more convincing," Ricciardo wrote in his Red Bull blog. "Feels more sustainable too. 2014, it was hard to fault that, but this year I felt like I did everything I did in '14, but at a higher level when I really pushed myself.
"There were races this year when Max [Verstappen] was half a second quicker than me in Q1 and Q2, and then I'd pull out a Q3 lap that was three, four-tenths quicker. I was able to find some pretty good levels through the year, and there were quite a few times that I was able to exceed my own expectations for what I thought I could do, maybe even surprise myself a bit."
And Ricciardo says it is a qualifying performance which is his highlight of the season rather than his victory at Sepang.
"There were a few big qualifyings this year – China was one that comes to mind – and Barcelona and Monaco, they were both awesome. Monaco was the best of them though, and that pole lap on the Saturday is probably the strongest memory of the year, maybe even more than winning in Malaysia. I get so excited about driving around Monaco.
"I'd said quietly to my trainers and some people around me that pole there was one that I was really chasing, and to get it after I'd put some pressure on myself, that was pretty cool. Tabac, into the Swimming Pool section there – that five seconds of qualy was the best five seconds of the year! Good motivation for next year too."
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