Ricciardo: We are no longer the king team of aero

Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo has had a subtle stab at design guru Adrian Newey, by suggesting that the energy drinks out fit no longer have the advantage in the aero department which they were once famous for and laments the fact that his team start each season on the back foot, playing catch-up.

Speaking to media ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend, Ricciardo said, "Adrian Newey has a big name for sure, but the top teams, Ferrari, Mercedes, everyone has got a good department. I believe we still have a very good department, but they others also have very good aerodynamic departments. I think because we were already a bit behind, let's say the last few years that we have not been the king team."

"We've got close and obviously won a few races here to there, but when Mercedes were on the run, even Singapore a track where we were supposed to be really strong on, [Nico] Rosberg was six tenths quicker in qualifying. So they still always had that speed and so we needed to make a massive jump to get close. Six tenths is still a lot, so I think miracles...it was kind of not like expecting a miracle but it just does not happen that easily."

Last year Red Bull were second, behind Mercedes in the pecking order. This year they have dropped to third, with Ferrari and Mercedes apparently widening the gap.

"Sure it does not explain why we are further away than we were last year, we expected to be closer. That is the question, but why I am not sure," admitted the Australian.

"I think our ability to develop is strong, and I think that's where we were particularly good last year, but it's not a strength not starting on the front-foot, that's a weakness, and that's unfortunately since I've been with the team. It's been since 2014 we're playing catch-up in the start of the year.

"I don't think [Red Bull] ever dominated testing, but I think before my time in the team that was just because they were running 100 kilos when everyone else was running 20 so they knew what they had..."

"Obviously the biggest change since then has been the V6 engines and so I'd probably put most of it down to that area, I don't think [Renault] is slacking off over Christmas, I'm not suggesting anything like that, but yeah it's unfortunately it's been the trend for the past four years now, that we're not starting [the season] with a chance to win," added Ricciardo.