Chinese Grand Prix: We are coming, Ricciardo warns Mercedes

Red Bull driver confident despite Hamilton topping practice session.

SHANGHAI: Daniel Ricciardo sounded a warning to Mercedes after the first practice sessions for Sunday’s Chinese grand prix, declaring that they should watch out as Red Bull ‘are coming’.

Mercedes, having won the opening three races of the season, still appear to be the dominant force in Shanghai as Lewis Hamilton topped the times in Friday’s second practice session.

Teammate and drivers’ standings leader Nico Rosberg was third, but appeared to have been hampered on his fastest lap by yellow warning flags waved after Pastor Maldonado crashed his Lotus at the pit lane entrance. With a clear run, Rosberg may have bettered Hamilton’s time.

The Silver Arrows were split by a resurgent Ferrari, driven by Fernando Alonso, after the Spaniard had earlier set the fastest time in the first practice session.

Ricciardo’s Red Bull was fourth, just half a second behind Hamilton, with his teammate and world champion Sebastian Vettel in fifth, two-tenths of a second further back. The encouraging session prompted Ricciardo to tell reporters afterwards that Mercedes should be aware of the Red Bull challenge.

But the affable Australian admitted that it would take a little more time.

“There won’t be any deposing going on this weekend,” said Ricciardo. “I would like to think that we have caught up, but I think they [Mercedes] have got a bit more in there that they didn’t show today [Friday].”

Vettel agreed, “Maybe they didn’t run full beans today [Friday],” said the German four-time world champion. “They are still the favourites and are still quite far away.

“I was behind the Mercedes on the long run and it looked like they could do what they want.

“For us it was a good day but not yet on the level of the top guys.”

Hamilton unhappy with car’s performance

By contrast Hamilton, despite setting the fastest time, was unhappy with the handling of his Mercedes throughout the day, complaining of understeer and later saying on team radio: “There’s something wrong with this car. I’m coming in.”

Rosberg said it was not only Hamilton having problems given the nature of the Shanghai circuit with long bends under braking.

“Lewis had an understeer, I had an understeer also, but everybody has that problem here because the circuit destroys your front tyres,” said Rosberg.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 19^th, 2014.

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