Ricciardo excited for new season: 'Then the talking stops'

Daniel Ricciardo is driving for a new team this season. He has switched from Renault to McLaren in the hope to fight for victories again. The Australian is looking forward to the new season.

Stop talking

The first race of the season is always exciting. That's when we really see for the first time what the relationships between driver and car are like. "I'm excited because when we go out on the track the talking stops and this weekend is the first opportunity to see where I stand with the team and where everyone stands," Ricciardo is quoted Speedweek.com.

Preparation crucial

When making the switch to a new team, good preparation is crucial. "It's a new working environment for me, but I already feel comfortable and I feel like we're already pretty up to speed," said Ricciardo, who could only do few test kilometres. "Certainly, three half test days per driver is not much, but if everything goes well and reliability plays along, then it's enough time to get a good feeling and get to know the team better."

The balance of power in F1

Ricciardo and McLaren had a strong winter test, but it remains to be seen what the actual balance of power will be. "I think this year it might be a bit easier to predict and understand where we stand because the car is an evolution of the previous one. Of course there are no guarantees, but I think you have an idea of which cars will set the pace and where you stand."