Ricciardo and team-mate Yuki Tsunoda slipped back two places from their starting places in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

It’s not the first time this season that has happened, with a poor start a contributing factor in Ricciardo’s opening lap crash in the Japanese Grand Prix.

“Already, the last few weekends, we’ve upped the emphasis on what else we can be doing on starts; making sure we’re doing everything we can with preparation, making sure the tyres guys are, team, clutch, all the normal things,” Ricciardo said when asked about the start situation by Speedcafe.

“Of course, you always prepare but we’re just doing even more because there are teams that are getting better stats than us consistently.

“Clearly, we’re missing something and we’re just trying to figure out what it is.”

With only four days between the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix and opening practice in Monaco this weekend, there’s no time to implement changes or revisions to the car.

Instead, Ricciardo revealed the team is challenging its own assumptions and the things it can control in the short term.

“When you’re lacking something maybe, a lot of the time you’ve got to challenge yourself,” he reasoned.

“Am I being open-minded enough? Are we a little bit stuck in our ways? Are our processes… What can we do?

“So we’re just trying to challenge each other more and more.

“That’s, for now, all we can do – obviously, in a few days turnaround, that’s what we’re trying to do.”

Having started 10th in Imola last weekend, Ricciardo slipped to 12th on the opening lap and was ultimately classified 13th.

Team-mate Tsunoda meanwhile salvaged a point for 10th as he too slipped down the order fro seventh on the grid.

RB is sixth in the constructors’ championship with 20 points, 13 clear of Haas but 24 back from Aston Martin.

Opening practice for this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix begins on Friday at 13:30 local time (21:30 AEST).