• First Barcelona Test, Day One

Ricciardo pleased with aero baseline

ESPN Staff
February 19, 2013 « Live Barcelona testing | Pic hampered by gearbox problem »
Daniel Ricciardo: "The high-speed stuff has been pretty good" © Sutton Images
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Daniel Ricciardo said he is "pretty pleased" with the aerodynamic performance of the STR8 after the opening day at Barcelona.

Having completed 72 laps at the high-speed Circuit de Catalunya, Ricciardo ended the day sixth on the final time sheet, 1.1s slower than pace-setter Nico Rosberg. With the track offering an opportunity to really test the new car's aerodynamic properties, Ricciardo said the optimism he had carried over from Jerez remained.

"An area I've been pretty happy so far is that the high-speed stuff has been pretty good," Ricciardo said. "It was a bit more tricky today with conditions and with the tyres as well there's quite a bit of marbles and particularly the hard is not really in its working environment so some things you have to deal with in the winter. But generally aero baseline I'm pretty pleased. Obviously I don't know what the other guys have, but in terms of my knowledge from last year I think we're doing OK."

In an attempt to temper expectations, however, Ricciardo said Toro Rosso was not ahead of schedule with the car's development.

"I think at the moment it's probably going along the lines we expected. At the next test we're going to hope to make a step up again, so wherever we end up here we'll probably expect more from that next week. But I think for the moment we're realistically where we thought we'd be."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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