The Australian had come into the Chinese language Grand Prix off the again of a troublesome begin to the season, the place he had been struggling for tempo in opposition to team-mate Yuki Tsunoda and dealing with questions over his future.
With no apparent rationalization for his difficulties, the crew believed a well-timed change of chassis for this weekend would at the least have the ability to tick that subject off as a consider his kind.
And having delivered maybe his strongest weekend of the yr in opposition to Tsunoda, who has been struggling to discover a good set-up, Ricciardo says he has seen issues feeling totally different this weekend.
Nonetheless, he believed it was far too early to make a judgement instantly on whether or not the chassis change was behind the good points or if it was one thing else.
“It appears like a extra regular weekend,” mentioned Ricciardo, who has certified twelfth for Sunday’s Chinese language GP.
“I might say from the get-go, from yesterday morning, we type of simply felt like we’re in a greater place and the whole lot got here – I do not wish to say simpler, as a result of that sounds too straightforward – however yeah, it simply type of got here a bit extra seamlessly thus far this weekend. It is encouraging, clearly.
“We did change chassis, [but] I do not wish to soar on that but and be like, it is positively that. Clearly, we have to show that over the course of some races. However yeah, there was clearly one thing with the change this weekend.
“To date, it has been my greatest weekend of the yr. So, whether or not it is that or whether or not it is simply I’ve all the time type of achieved nicely round right here, we’ll see. We’ll see in Miami, and Imola and perhaps the following few [races] if it continues.”
With the crew having been satisfied that there was nothing improper with the chassis that Ricciardo began the season with, the Australian says that if issues keep at this stage for the following few occasions he could have to simply accept that he won’t ever know what the issue was.
“If the following 5 fully do this sort of 180, so to talk, then I might believe in saying alright, nicely, perhaps we are going to by no means know what it was.
“One thing did not make me really feel proper with clearly the earlier chassis I used to be racing.
“I might like to be right here in 5 races’ time and say that, as a result of then it means the season has positively rotated and I’ve type of bought that monkey off our again.
“We’ll see. However I am inspired thus far with the 2 days we have had right here.”
Shanghai shouldn’t be a standard observe, with its lengthy sluggish corners making it notably difficult on the entrance tyres.
However Ricciardo mentioned that regardless of the distinctive elements, there had been no want for a dramatic change of strategy in how he was coping with his automotive.
“This circuit is usually a bit extra of a front-limited circuit, so it’s a little totally different to most likely nearly all of tracks by way of the set-up and that.
“However I would be mendacity if I mentioned we modified a lot this weekend. It was slightly few tweaks right here and there, however it’s nothing loopy. So yeah, let’s examine.
“So far, it feels the whole lot’s gone extra regular. And proper now regular is sweet.”