The Australian was dropped by McLaren on the finish of 2022 after struggling to return to phrases with the automobile throughout two troublesome seasons by which he lagged behind Lando Norris.
To date in 2024, he has been overshadowed by Tsunoda, who has twice made Q3 and completed seventh in Australia.
Nonetheless, Ricciardo insists that he’s in a a lot better place at RB than he was at McLaren, and is near having all of the items fall into place.
“We’re chasing slightly little bit of as at all times downforce, a little bit of rear grip,” he mentioned when requested by Motorsport.com in Japan about his scenario. “To be trustworthy, I struggled slightly bit within the excessive pace in Melbourne and Saudi.
“Saudi we did see we had been down a bit, so we form of felt like we had a little bit of an evidence for that. Nevertheless it was nonetheless the case in Melbourne by way of form of Flip 9 and 10, the place I used to be down a bit in comparison with Yuki.
“I believe we most likely focus slightly little bit of our set-up on these areas to provide me that confidence. After which I believe the low and medium pace stuff, we’re just about there.
“It is not a McLaren scenario. So I believe it is simply vital now that I simply hold working with my engineers, and we do not begin taking too many ideas or recommendation from the surface.
Daniel Ricciardo, Visa Money App RB F1 Crew
Photograph by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Pictures
“After all, I’d have needed extra outcomes from the primary few races, I am not pleased with it. Nevertheless it’s vital that we simply keep on the right track, in the end, and do not get sidetracked.”
Ricciardo says any stress to carry out that he faces in his first full season again in F1 is essentially self-imposed, having returned to racing mid-season in 2023 changing the ousted Nyck de Vries.
“I say sure,” he mentioned when requested if felt he was underneath stress. “However my reply is it’s from me, greater than anybody. I am positive there’s from the surface.
“However I got here into this season having a full pre-season, I had a extremely good winter, I educated my butt off, and I really feel actually good. So all the pieces in my head and thru my years of expertise tells me that we must always begin the season firing on all cylinders.
“So yeah, that is the place I am like, ‘okay, it hasn’t actually occurred but’. And it has been three races.
“However I do know that I need not change something, it’s going to come. It is just a bit bit right here and there.
“No matter is possibly simply lacking in the mean time will click on, and I believe it is one it is one weekend away from that.
“Even Melbourne, clearly, I used to be most likely upset on paper with the weekend, in fact, and never getting factors, and the quali and all that. However once we form of analyse the race, it wasn’t as unhappy because it most likely regarded or appeared.
“We had good race tempo. And I believe there are some good issues that we’re taking, we simply must put it collectively now. And that I’ll do.
Daniel Ricciardo, RB F1 Crew VCARB 01
Photograph by: Purple Bull Content material Pool
“I mentioned I’d in Melbourne, and I fell brief. However I’ll do it this weekend.”
Ricciardo has beforehand hinted that one thing may be awry together with his automobile, and he confirmed that the group has swapped some elements in an try and hint any points.
“Since Saudi, we modified just a few issues,” he mentioned. “After which most likely for China, we’ll change just a few extra issues.
“We’re clearly making an attempt to guarantee that all the pieces is nice and there aren’t any flaws in something. And it is simply clearly for us peace of thoughts as a result of we now have clearly explored fairly a bit.
“I jumped in final 12 months and I used to be on the tempo immediately in Budapest and this 12 months looks like I am slightly bit behind, with higher prep and extra expertise with the automobile and the group.
“In order that’s why we’re simply ensuring that we’re not lacking one thing that’s form of out of our management for now.”
Watch: F1 2024 Japanese Grand Prix Preview – The whole lot You Want To Know