Ricciardo confident F1 testing gave Renault "encouraging signs"

After two weeks of F1 winter testing, Renault's Daniel Ricciardo believes he has spotted some "encouraging signs" ahead of his home Grand Prix in Australia. Ricciardo finished near the top of the timesheets on the last day to give him some positive momentum into the new season. 

Good signs

"In the morning we resolved a few issues from yesterday, and looking back at the week as a whole, it has been positive for us. We’ve improved the overall balance of the car, worked through some set-up changes and our reliability has been strong. I believe we’ve cranked up more kilometres on the engine tests back at Viry than we’ve ever had before, so this combined with our results over the two tests are ultimately encouraging signs ahead of the start of the season in Australia," Ricciardo said. 

Last season's Australian Grand Prix wasn't a successful day for Ricciardo. On his debut day in Renault colours, Ricciardo had contact before he even reached the first corner. 21 races later, and Renault finished fifth in the standings. To reclaim their best of the rest position, they will face strong competition from McLaren and Racing Point.