Daniel Ricciardo believes that Renault is currently faster than Ferrari despite a string of eighth position finishes between he and team-mate Esteban Ocon.

The latter finished eighth in his first race with the Renault F1 Team, at the Red Bull Ring, while Ricciardo retired with a technical issue, before roles were reversed at the same circuit a week later.

The Australian was also eighth in last weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix, just behind Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and Racing Point’s Sergio Perez, while Ocon got home in 14th.

While Renault occupies sixth in the constructors’ championship, one position and 15 points behind the Scuderia, Ricciardo suggests that the RP20s are in fact faster than the SF1000s at present.

“We have had eighth every race,” he observed.

“Look, obviously eighth is not bad, but I do really feel that we’ve had a bit more speed than an eighth place car in all three of those races; at least the last two.

“I feel that we are not far from one of those top five, top six finishes. I feel that we have a bit more speed than Ferrari at the moment. At least it seems so; the race pace is not too bad. So, it is coming.

“It is good to have got the points, but I know there are some bigger ones around the corner. It looked like we had a bit more pace than McLaren. I am not sure where their race went, but we were pretty close to the Racing Point, so not too shabby.”

Rounds 4 and 5 of the 2020 Formula 1 season will be held at Silverstone, where Ricciardo is hoping that updates to the Renaults will pay dividends.

“Updates are always pretty nice and handy, and Silverstone is one of those tracks, there is some low-speed stuff, but it is pretty flowing with medium- and high-speed corners,” he said.

“(That’s) really where the car is loaded, and where you see the front endplate, those types of corners where it drags and everyone is trying to work on this area of the car to keep some downforce in it and that high-speed role.

“Silverstone will test that and see if these updates can help.”

The British Grand Prix will be held on July 31-August 2.