Crisis-struck Red Bull is taking a vastly different car to Melbourne for the first race of 2014. That is the claim of reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel, even though the German is not expecting to be competitive this weekend after a disastrous winter for the team and engine supplier Renault.
"Only in the comic book world do such processes (to improve) work that quickly and immediately," he told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper. "But only in Melbourne will we know how far away from the competition we actually are."
Renault's Jean-Michel Jalinier has now admitted that Renault-powered cars will not be in a position to win in Melbourne, but he expects the picture to change significantly within "three to five races". And Vettel said Red Bull is also working hard.
"The car we will use in Melbourne will only be the same as the one we tested in the winter on the outside," he said. "Inside, it will be different," added Vettel. "It's hard to say where we are, but we are certainly not among the favourites to win," he admitted.
New teammate Daniel Ricciardo, already in his native Australia, said the first challenge will be getting the RB10 to the chequered flag. "We don't really know if it will last the distance," he told Fairfax Media, "because we haven't proven it (in testing)." (GMM)
Melbourne-spec Red Bull different on inside - Vettel
- Published on 10 Mar 2014 10:57
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- By: Rob Veenstra
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G. Russell
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L. Hamilton
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Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
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Feb 11
L. Norris
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Feb 12
C. Leclerc
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Feb 13
A. Antonelli
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Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
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Feb 18
G. Russell
- 1:33.459
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Feb 19
A. Antonelli
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C. Leclerc
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
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Spain
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Bahrain
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Bahrain
Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
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Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
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Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
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Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
6 - Mar 8
Australia
Albert Park
13 - Mar 15
27 - Mar 29
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
10 - Apr 12
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Apr 19
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
1 - May 3
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
22 - May 24
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
5 - Jun 7
Monaco
Monte Carlo
12 - Jun 14
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
26 - Jun 28
Austria
Red Bull Ring
3 - Jul 5
United Kingdom
Silverstone
17 - Jul 19
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
24 - Jul 26
Hungary
Hungaroring
21 - Aug 23
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
Driver profile
- Team Visa Cash App RB
- Points 1,061
- Podiums 24
- Grand Prix 188
- Country AU
- Date of b. Jul 1 1989 (37)
- Place of b. Perth, AU
- Weight 64 kg
- Length 1.75 m
- 190,935 comments on Visa Cash App RB
24 members have this team as their favourite
Tweets about Daniel Ricciardo
Team profile
- Team name Renault
- Base Enstone, France
- Fernando Alonso 1
- Daniel Ricciardo 3
- Fernando Alonso 5
- Fernando Alonso 5
- Fernando Alonso 7
- Romain Grosjean 8
- Fernando Alonso 8
- Fernando Alonso 8
- Pastor Maldonado 13
- Jenson Button 15
- Kevin Magnussen 20
- Nico Hülkenberg 27
- Jolyon Palmer 30
- Esteban Ocon 31
- Carlos Sainz jr 55
- 236,941 comments on Renault
- 26 members have this team as their favourite
- Tweets about Renault
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