The Spa-Francorchamps circuit which hosted last weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix highlighted the inherent weaknesses in the Scuderia AlphaTauri AT04, according to Daniel Ricciardo.
Ricciardo finished 16th in the race after starting on the back row, though that result was a product of a deleted lap in qualifying on Friday.
It’s a result that came a week after the Australian finished 11th on his return to F1 in Hungary, though the difference between the two venues played a key role in those outcomes.
Hungary was held in hot conditions, with Pirelli bringing tyres at the softest end of its range. The circuit is also a mix of medium-speed corners and short straights.
In Belgium, rain kept temperatures down and saw limited dry running, while the circuit itself is famed for its long straights and high-speed corners such as Pouhon, Blanchimont, and Raidillon.
“I guess the short answer is yes,” Ricciardo admitted when asked if the Spa circuit highlighted his car’s limitations.
“But I don’t know… it didn’t feel like the car was on.
“So even for the given downforce and all that, I felt like we weren’t getting… even with a new tyre, weren’t really getting that peak out of it and wasn’t really feeling it kind of bite and load up.
“That’s probably the thing where obviously I’ll try to understand where we missed.
“But you’re right, for the rest it is lower grip, and especially in the rain all weekend.
“The track felt green, it did feel like it was pretty average conditions. The race pace felt quite slow.
“All these things probably contribute, but it’s all learning, I think, as well.
“I’m always going to be quite hard on myself. I shouldn’t be expecting the world at the moment.
“It’s all learning but hopefully we get a few little answers from today.”
Formula 1 is now on a three-week break, returning with the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort on August 25-27.
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