Ricciardo restless as GP victory eludes him
Socceroos face Chile reception from rival fans
THREE-STRAIGHT podiums may have cushioned the tough start to the year for Australian Formula One driver Daniel Ricciardo, but the Perth-born ace says he’s ready to win – with a realistic shot at September’s Singapore Grand Prix.
It’s been a case of damage limitation for his Red Bull Racing team across the first seven rounds of the season, with its RB13 around one second off the pace of benchmark Mercedes in qualifying last time out in Canada.
But a string of podiums and top-10 results has helped Red Bull retain third in the constructors’ standings, with Ricciardo and teammate Max Verstappen fifth and sixth respectively in the drivers’ championship.
It’s still a long way off the title campaign promised to the 27-year-old, with the 2017 technical regulation change expected to play to Red Bull’s strength in aerodynamics, but Ricciardo is keeping the faith.
“We’re enjoying the good moments, but also being realistic that we all want to be better as well, so we’re still working on it,” he said ahead of tonight’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
“We’re making inroads, it is getting there. Budapest should be a good, you’d hope, a good podium chance, at least … Singapore’s always a strong one for me and the team.”
The signs were positive for Red Bull in early practice for tonight’s grand prix, with Verstappen leading the way ahead of Valtteri Bottas. WHEN Australia runs out against Chile in their deciding group fixture at this year’s Confederations Cup, they will have more than just one of the most dangerous teams in world football to contend with.
After playing in half empty – or half full, if you’re reporting for an official Russian news agency – stadiums in Sochi and St Petersburg, a boisterous, hostile crowd awaits at Moscow’s Otkrytie Arena.
While most teams in Russia have had only pockets of support at each of the four venues, Chile has been backed by an army in the stands, in the region of 15,000 fans making the trip from South America, by some margin the highest num- ber of travelling supporters at the event for a single team.
At the same stadium during Chile’s opening round win over Cameroon, they brought colour and noise to proceedings, earning widespread praise from the hosts.
The neutrals, too, have been swept along with the euphoria of the Chileans’ fervent barracking. It will feel more like Santiago than Moscow come kick off tomorrow.
However, Alex Gersbach (pictured), who starred for the Socceroos in their 1-1 draw with Cameroon, insists that a febrile atmosphere can actually work to inspire the team as they go in search of an improbable two-goal victory to leap ahead of the back-to-back South American champions and in to the semi-finals. “The extra noise we welcome as players, it motivates you,” he says.
“I remember Australia versus Chile in the World Cup (in 2014). I was at home watching it and I felt like I was there it was that loud through the TV.”
Chile are going into the match off the back of a 1-1 draw with Germany.