Daniel Ricciardo hopes to spend more time with his Renault colleagues away from the race track next year in order to take relationships “to the next level”.

Ricciardo left the Red Bull system to join the Renault F1 Team this year, finishing ninth in the drivers’ championship as the Anglo-French operation slipped to fifth in the constructors’ standings.

The West Australian noted in an end of season video that he “made some new relationships, new friends” at Renault during 2019 but wants to strengthen those bonds in his second year at the team.

“For next year I’ve got some ideas of things I can do more or better,” said Ricciardo.

“I feel like I integrated myself into the team well this year, but I look back and am like I can do more.

“I want to have a bit more presence before the season starts, before testing, but also have some ideas which of things we can do together as a team to get us into the season – not just technically, but as a team unit I want to get to Barcelona (pre-season testing) feeling like we got some momentum before the season even starts.

“Even some team morale stuff, call it team building and some activities. More importantly to spend time with the team, even away from the track.”

Ricciardo explained that his contact even with the likes of Renault Managing Director Cyril Abiteboul is limited during grands prix due to how busy the weekend is.

“At the track even like with Cyril sometimes it is ‘Hi’ and that is all you get over the weekend because we are busy,” he added.

“So you don’t always get good quality time at the circuit.

“I feel that to take this relationship to the next level, getting time away from the track is good.

“Just having that feeling, even for the guys, if they know each other a bit more, they will want to work a little bit harder for each other and make some good stuff happen.”

Ricciardo will be working with a new team-mate in 2020 with Esteban Ocon joining Renault.

Pre-season testing starts at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on February 19-21.