Daniel Ricciardo wants to maintain realistic targets for the 2024 season, amidst the excitement surrounding VCARB.
The newly-branded VCARB, also known as the Racing Bulls, has received plenty of coverage over winter.
Their increased collaboration with Red Bull became a hot topic in F1 news over the winter break.
Part of this enthusiasm began in the second half of 2023.
It was at this stage that the Faenza-based outfit began taking more parts from their senior team.
Within a relatively short time span, Yuki Tsunoda, Liam Lawson and Daniel Ricciardo could fight for points on a regular basis.
Although the front-runners were still beyond reach, the AT04 became something of a nuisance for the top 5.
Tsunoda’s performance in Abu Dhabi at the end of the year underscored this fact.
The expectations surrounding the team are inevitably bolstered by the presence of Daniel Ricciardo.
The Australian remains a big name in the sport and, excluding the World Champions, one of the most accomplished.
Additionally, Red Bull has publically admitted he is under consideration for a 2025 Red Bull seat. Ricciardo himself is, of course, aware of this.
Naturally, his performances will receive additional scrutiny in this context.
Ricciardo manages expcetations
Still, the 34-year-old wants to maintain a grounded approach this year.
He has clarified where the believes the VCARB 01 stands heading into Bahrain:
“I would say I think people definitely got excited, let’s say from the outside,” he told the media in Sakhir.
“Let’s just say the fans got excited. I think they thought we were going to be a different version of another car from the past.
“But it’s not that… I think we’re trying to make the most of what we’ve got.
“We definitely developed the car from last year.
“So, some gains here and there.
“But if we want to be sure to fight for Q3’s and top 10s, there’s certainly still going to be a bit more to find.”
Something that will complicate VCARB’s efforts will be the progression of last year’s top-5.
In addition to Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari, it is now accepted that Aston Martin and McLaren are regular podium contenders.
Therefore, unlike Racing Point in 2020, there are a larger group of heavy hitters to topple.
Another important note is that VCARB cannot take everything from Adrian Newey and Pierre Wache’s new challenger.
As a result, there is still a sizable gap in performance between the two sister teams.
This will not prevent Ricciardo and Tsunoda from competing for points, but it is unlikely to give them a platform to fight for major honours.
Regardless, both drivers should have the necessary tools to make a case for why they could become Max Verstappen’s teammate in 2025.
