Hopeful Ricciardo praises Singapore's challenging track
Daniel Ricciardo looks to rebuild his lucky streak at Singapore, where his Red Bull appears to perform well despite the usual power unit-related issues. The Australian also explained what makes the Marina Bay Street Circuit the most challenging both mentally and physically.
Daniel Ricciardo is upbeat following today's productive free practice sessions. The Australian finished FP2 in fourth, six tenths behind pace setter Kimi Raikkonen and just 0.088s behind teammate Verstappen.
The pace he has displayed around the streets of Singapore is promising, which enhances Red Bull's remarkable competitiveness on the aero side. Ricciardo is also pleased with the tyre compounds Pirelli has brought to this venue. "Tyres are OK. I like that they brought the Soft, which is two steps harder than the Ultra and the HyperSofts. It opens up some options for the race, but each tyre seems to be a good step faster than the others."
Luck rarely seemed to kiss Ricciardo from Monaco onwards, but it is time for a fresh start after the European races. Hence, the Red Bull driver is eager to challenge himself at Marina Bay, hopeful that he can finally accomplish a satisfying result. "I prepared well and I think the team has a pretty good car here. This morning we showed the pace, this afternoon not as much but hopefully we can fix that. We are ready to go for the rest of the weekend. I will be prepared, the team will be and hopefully luck will be on our side as well."
Due to the heat and its unique features, Singapore is said to be the toughest race on the calendar, a thought Ricciardo shares. "There are a few things which make it the toughest race. It is the hottest, you’re in a city, you don’t get any ventilation, so there is no wind. It is like driving in a sauna. And also it’s the busiest circuit, Monaco has less straights and this has more corners. I would say it is the toughest mentally and physically, I like it, it’s a good challenge. I am sweating a lot as you can see!"