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Ricciardo targets to be "first of the midfield" in Mexico to keep P4 hopes alive

15:50, 22 Oct 2019

byNicolás Quarles van Ufford

Renault star Daniel Ricciardo has targeted to be at the top of the midfield for the Mexican Grand Prix, with the French works team needing a big result at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez to keep their hopes of finishing best of the rest alive.

The gap between Renault and fourth-placed McLaren currently is 34 points, a gap which will be very difficult to bridge with just four races to go.

However, the Italian Grand Prix has shown just how much one weekend can swing things. In that race at Monza, Renault capitalised on mistakes from 'Big Three' drivers as Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg finished fourth and fifth respectively while McLaren scored a single point. A 21-point swing in one weekend.

On top of that, Ricciardo was 2018's pole sitter in Mexico, narrowly edging out teammate Max Verstappen. Can this be the weekend where Ricciardo and Renault make a big statement for the final three races?

"The pole position last year was pretty memorable," the 30-year-old said when looking ahead to this weekend.

"It was an exciting lap, putting it all together at the end; it was special.

"If we can get into Q3 and be first of the midfield this weekend then that will be pretty good too. We’ve been on a disappointing run recently so we deserved the result in Japan. We’re aiming to carry some momentum now in Mexico.

"The target is to better the McLarens and outscore them to keep the pressure on."