Infiniti Red Bull Racing drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat are eager to get racing as the Formula 1 season begins this weekend at the Albert Park circuit in Melbourne, Australia.
Ricciardo in particular will be looking forward to the race, where in 2014 he finished second in his first race for Red Bull before being sensationally disqualified post-race for a fuel-flow irregularity. Looking back at testing, he believes the twelve days of testing in Spain were positive despite a handful of reliability concerns.
“Testing has been relatively good for us,” insisted Ricciardo. “We had a few reliability issues but we racked up a lot of miles and learned a lot.
“I still feel that we have a bit more to go. But there is no better place to do this than going racing. I’m ready to go.
“I’m just excited to finally go racing again. And for me it’s fun. Obviously I’m really privileged having it at home, but in any case, it means it’s a start to a new year. There is always new motivation and I think it’s exciting.”
With the race being held in his home country, Ricciardo admits he loves to return to his homeland, and is delighted to see Formula 1 becoming more and more popular. He also praised the Melbourne circuit.
”I love going home and the fresh air really gives me that home feeling,” said Ricciardo. “I spend so much time now away from Australia that anywhere in Oz feels like home really. It’s the cars, the accent, the food and the weather.”
“The whole vibe and atmosphere is just amazing. It’s busy and there is always something going on. The track is fun. I’ve always liked street circuits. I think it’s a great and fast flowing circuit.
“It’s great to see Formula One growing a lot in Australia. It’s becoming quite a popular sport, which is really cool to see. They’ll go out and cheer and will be loud and flamboyant.”
Team-mate Kvyat will be making his Red Bull Racing debut in Australia having moved across from sister team Scuderia Toro Rosso in 2015. Like Ricciardo, the Russian is eager to get out on track, having scored points on debut at the circuit in 2014.
“There is always something special about the race in Australia,” revealed Kvyat. “It’s my second race in Melbourne and I took a lot of great memories from the race last year. It’s a beautiful place. Good weather, good food and great atmosphere.
“[Last year] was my first Formula One race and it all felt like a dream, because I didn’t know what to expect. It’s a memory that will never go away.
“I finished my first race in the points and became youngest-ever scorer, so it was very special for me.”
