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STR8 yet to match expectations - Ricciardo

Daniel Ricciardo has yet to score a point in 2013 © Sutton Images

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• Daniel Ricciardo

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Daniel Ricciardo says this year's Toro Rosso has not matched his expectations so far, but he is confident there is more potential to be unlocked in the STR8.

Ricciardo's season has got off to a tricky start after an exhaust problem brought an end to his Australian Grand Prix and damage to his car on the way to the grid in Malaysia saw him struggle to 18th. But even without the problems on race day, Ricciardo admitted the Toro Rosso was not as quick as the team had hoped at this stage of the season.

"We were hoping to fight around the Q3 area on Saturdays and still we're quite a long way off there," he said. "We have to work now. In testing it didn't go that well but I think a lot of that was due to the track conditions so we thought 'let's go to Melbourne and see what it's like'. I think we're improving but we are still not where we want to be.

"The basic thing is downforce, every car always wants more donwforce. When you have understeer or oversteer it's usually due to a lack of downforce. I think we have more tools on the car and we can use them better but we're still trying to understand it. There is more potential but not enough is showing at the moment."

Ricciardo said the first major update was due at the Spanish Grand Prix, but is aware Toro Rosso's rivals will also make progress in that time.

"In Barcelona that's planned," he said. "I think all the teams bring updates but hopefully that will give us what we are looking for.

"We have quite a lot of things going on with the car that should make it quite a bit better than it was last year. I don't feel we have got the most out of that stuff yet and when we do find it it should make the car better. The thing is a lot of guys are improving and no one will stay where they are. We've got to find a bigger step than everyone else and at the moment we are going with them and not taking the step we need at the moment."

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