Ricciardo: Tsunoda has a great year, but we give similar feedback regarding the car

Visa Cash RB driver Daniel Ricciardo says that he and his team-mate Yuki Tsunoda have been "very aligned" this year as far as the setup of the car is concerned.

Daniel Ricciardo spent the opening stages of last season on the sidelines, fulfiling the role of the reserve driver at Red Bull Racing. After the then AlphaTauri outfit elected to oust Nick de Vries, the Australian was called in, receiving the opportunity to come back after spending just over half a year without a race seat.

Unfortunately, the eight-time F1 race winner sustained injuries to his arm during a crash in practice at the Dutch Grand Prix. It forced him to miss several races, but he managed to return and see out the closing stages of the season as a team-mate of Yuki Tsunoda.

The Perth-born driver praised the performance of Tsunoda, claiming that he has had more difficult weekends than the Japanese racer this year.

"It's always hard, especially when you have a new team-mate… Obviously I did a few races with Yuki last year, but yeah, at this point you can't underestimate anyone. I've been in this sport long enough to know that.

"So yeah, it's never that, well, this driver surprised me because there's not really any more surprises. I think as well, the level now is so high. we're familiar with these cars. So I think, look, he's having a great year. Absolutely. I think he's been driving really well.

"It's, let's say, a challenge that I've welcomed, you know. I've had certainly a few more probably low weekends this year than he has. Obviously, you try and turn that around. But I also want to be pushed. I want, obviously, to see where my potential is and where that lies. So I do like having, obviously, someone alongside me. that's strong.

Ricciardo conceded that he often had different views last year compared to Tsunoda regarding the development path the Faenza-based team needed to follow. However, that has massively changed for the current season as they usually share their perception regarding the VCARB01.

"But as I said, I don't think there is... There are no weak team-mates anymore. I think it's been that way for a while. He's good, I think. Technically as well his feedback's been good.

"I think we've been very aligned this year. I think when I joined the team last year I definitely had a few different opinions on maybe where the car should be or how I wanted it set up.

"I think we've definitely come a lot closer now. So I think that's also probably helped give the team some clear direction. We're both obviously pushing the same way. He's obviously signed next year.

"He's there again. So, see what obviously happens for me, but it's a good a good six months so fa and I've liked a lot working with him," concluded the Australian.