Does Daniel Ricciardo believe moving to Renault from Red Bull is a struggle?

Daniel Ricciardo hasn’t yet opened his account. But when will he? Fans expect him to win. But, of course, they are right. They are fans. And there’s never a harm in having an army of admirers who believe in you, despite knowing that the lines between reality and fiction can often seem blurred.

It’s Daniel Ricciardo‘s natural penchant to fight for podiums and that charismatic smile that has come to afford him the sheer bandwidth of fans that he’s come to accumulate.

Isn’t that right?

But that told not everything seems to have gone right for a driver who already has to his credit 7 race wins. Last year, when it became official that Daniel Ricciardo was to soon become Renault-bound, one expected the smiling Aussie to make some impressive strides.

Of course, what’s happened in 2019 so far is another story. Even as there have been just 2 races of the 21 on the roster, one can already sense that Daniel Ricciardo isn’t the happiest man in the Renault garage or outside it.

A non-finish at the season-opener at Australia and a heartbreaking DNF at Bahrain (as if Melbourne’s disappointment hadn’t dulled the Australian enough), Daniel Ricciardo hasn’t been the luckiest man on the grid. Right?

But even as he stares ahead into the future, where there rests a possibility to bounce back from the current lull, the next race being at Shanghai (a Grand Prix he clinched rather thrillingly in 2018), it seems that the Aussie isn’t too excited.

While on the one hand, it seems that life’s been a bit unfair (thus far) to Daniel Ricciardo, it’s what he’s said recently that could well perturb a few.

The former Red Bull driver got candid with a leading motor-sport journal and shared a few observations.

“I knew it would take time, but in my heart, I just expected to jump in the car first lap (and be like) sweet, we are going to be good. So coming a step back as far as grip and handling, it is no secret that we are not on the pace of the car I had last year. So that is something I need to figure out again. In Charles’ situation, it is a bit like me when I came from Toro Rosso to Red Bull. Everything becomes easier, you have more grip, and it is like ‘oh wow the car can do this, ” shared the Aussie.