- Austrian GP - Qualifying
Ricciardo found edge over Vettel in fast corners
Daniel Ricciardo says his advantage over team-mate Sebastian Vettel was mainly found in the Red Bull Ring's faster corners during qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix.
Ricciardo outqualified the four-time champion for the fifth time this season on Saturday and will line up fifth on the grid for Sunday's race. He said the data showed he found most of his time in the faster corners in the middle of the lap.
"It's pretty much in the second sector through the quicker stuff in five and six," Ricciardo said. "I think there's a little bit there that I gained, but it's half a tenth here and half a tenth there so just little bits and pieces. There's not really one standout corner. But I'd say the middle of the track is one area I feel a little bit more comfortable."
Ricciardo said this year's V6 turbo F1 cars suit him well, but played down suggestions Vettel is struggling.
"I'd say that he's a four-time champ and it's not like he's struggling with the car. It's different but I think he's adapted by now but I've seemed to find a bit more.
"I do feel comfortable with this year's car and with the regs and the team behind me. I just have a lot of confidence in the whole package and I feel this new Formula One is pretty normal now. It doesn't feel so different, it feels natural."
Ricciardo admitted Red Bull was not expecting to be so far off the pace at its home race.
"We didn't expect to be finding it that hard to be that hard to be trying to get top five and to make it into Q3. I'm not really sure why, but credit to the other teams because they have obviously found some pace in the second and third sector. With a few fast corners we probably thought we'd have a bit more of an edge, but they seem to be pretty much on to us. We're still trying to find that little bit extra to stay in front but they seem to have caught up this weekend."
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
