Ricciardo: Kerbs doing their job, treating them “like a wall”
Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo has spoken out in favour of the severe kerbs that have been deployed around the Red Bull Ring to enforce track limits for the Austrian Grand Prix weekend.
Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Racing RB12
XPB Images
Despite the suspension failures suffered throughout practice and qualifying, including former teammate Daniil Kvyat who suffered a big shunt in Q1, Ricciardo says he is satisfied that they are doing the job they were intended to.
“I’m honestly treating it like a wall, I know that if I hit it [the yellow kerbs] I’m going to damage my car,” he said after qualifying. “It’s not a bullying scenario, I’m not laughing at them, Danny or anyone that’s crashed, for me I like it that’s black and white.
“At so many modern circuits us drivers complain that you can run off and not pay a price, so this weekend we are paying a price. Sure, the damage to the cars is quite severe, but it’s the same if you hit a wall on a street circuit – I tore the rear off my car in Baku.
“They’re visible, it’s not like we can’t see them. I honestly think they’re doing a good job, and I think it’s a good compromise to keep us on the track limits.”
Happy with shape Red Bull is in
Ricciardo qualified seventh but will start fifth, following penalties to the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel.
Significantly, he will start the race on the supersoft tyre – rather than the ultrasoft used by those ahead of him to set their fastest Q2 times.
“We’re still in a pretty good position in fifth, on the supersoft,” said Ricciardo. “If we didn’t quite get some Q3 decisions right, I think Q2 was the right decision to take the supersoft.
“This has been one of our weaker circuits, and I feel comfy with the car. We were pretty happy to get into Q3 with the supersoft.
“We knew we wouldn’t be fighting for the front row. But if it’s mixed conditions again tomorrow, I think being able to adapt quickest will be key. The smartest, most switched-on guy can win tomorrow, you don’t necessarily need the best car.”
Additional reporting by Jonathan Noble
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