Red Bull boss Christian Horner is excited to see Daniel Ricciardo take the fight to Ferrari at the Bahrain Grand Prix, a circuit with more opportunities for overtaking than the season opener in Australia.
Despite showing good race pace at his home race and setting the fastest lap, Ricciardo was unable to pass Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen for the final spot on the podium. Ricciardo qualified fourth in Bahrain, putting him behind Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas and the all-Ferrari front row led by Sebastian Vettel.
While Red Bull is still unable to match Ferrari and Mercedes on one-lap pace Horner expects Bahrain to show its true race pace.
« This track — forget Melbourne, you couldn’t overtake there — but this track you can and it is one of the easiest venues that you can make a pass on, » Horner said. « So you will have Lewis [Hamilton] doing his thing and I think we have a really good race car and Daniel Ricciardo is starting on the second row so I think he will be looking to take opportunities on the first lap.
« More [pit-stops] than Melbourne, yes, some you might do but some try the one stop. The two stop looks attractive as well but the one stop is fraught with the risk of safety cars and the rest. Maybe with Lewis that is what they have teed up starting on that harder tyre.
Ricciardo also sounded optimistic when asked after qualifying if he could mix it with Ferrari during the race, saying: « Hopeful, yeah. It’s not a long shot, I think it’s within reach so looking forward to that. »
Ricciardo’s teammate, Max Verstappen, will start 15th after spinning out of Q1.
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