Ricciardo reminder: I’m still in the race

FLYING under the radar usually isn’t a concern for local hero Daniel Ricciardo ahead of the Australian Grand Prix.

But the Red Bull star feels he has to remind everyone of his presence in Sunday’s Formula One season opener in Melbourne.

Off- contract Ricciardo – 29 in July – is considered a title threat this year with Red Bull’s new car RB14 expected to join Ferrari and threaten Mercedes’ domination in 2018.

Crowd favourite Ricciardo still felt he needed to make people sit up and take notice at Albert Park after the emergence of 20- year- old teammate Max Verstappen and talk Valtteri Bottas will challenge all conquering Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton.

“I always feel I have something to prove,” Ricciardo told Fox Sports TV.

“There’s obviously a lot of talk about the young guys coming up, there’s my teammate Max.

“And talk about Bottas and can he challenge Hamilton this year. You always feel you constantly have to remind people so I might just remind these cats.”

Ricciardo hopes to earn Red Bull’s first Australian Grand Prix podium finish since 2013 this weekend despite a luckless run in Melbourne last year plagued by technical failures.

“It brings a tear to my eye. No, it’s all good,” Ricciardo said of last year’s event.

The Red Bull star has been linked to Ferrari and Mercedes for 2019 after failing to follow the lead of Verstappen who resigned recently until 2020. Red Bull want Ricciardo to stay but have given him a deadline, with contract talks reportedly set to resume next month.