Red Bull is planning to bring a significant update to its Formula 1 car for the Hungarian Grand Prix as it bids to get back in the hunt for victories.
Daniel Ricciardo says the team is preparing a major development push for the Hungaroring race at the end of July to help improve downforce levels.
“I do believe we’ve got something significant for Budapest,” said Ricciardo at Silverstone. “This weekend it’s usual bits and pieces, which we kind of bring now nearly every race.
“But Budapest is probably more of an advertised update as opposed to this weekend.”
Red Bull was left hugely encouraged by its pace at the Austrian Grand Prix, where Ricciardo finished six seconds behind leading duo Valtteri Bottas and Sebastian Vettel.
Team boss Christian Horner says the Red Bull Ring performance has lifted hopes that the team has not only closed the gap to Ferrari and Mercedes, but will be able to mix it with the championship contenders soon.
“If we can keep building on Austria’s performance then we should hopefully be able to get cars between Ferrari and Mercedes or vice versa,” he said.
“Our drivers are going to have little to lose, so we are just going to be going for the best results we can.
“We are not essentially in the drivers’ championship. Daniel is some way off but we are still looking to achieve some big results.”
Ricciardo is fourth in the championship, 64 points behind Vettel, while three consecutive retirements have left Max Verstappen down in seventh with less than half Ricciardo’s total.
Red Bull is a distant third in the constructors’ championship but reflecting on the progress the team has made with its RB13 car since a difficult start to the campaign.
“I think we’re seeing constant evolution and progress,” Horner added.
“I think we were really pleased to see, at a track that ironically belongs to Red Bull but is one of our weakest circuits in terms of circuit layout, we were very strong.
“It was arguably our strongest race of the year, perhaps bar Monaco, in terms of outright pace.
“What was really encouraging was the pace in the middle sector, where throughout the grand prix Daniel was consistently the quickest car on that part of the track.
“The drivers feel the progress of the car, the balance is improving, the downforce is getting stronger.
“Hopefully there are some venues coming up that allow us to take the fight to the guys ahead.”
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