Daniel Ricciardo has insisted that teams will have to take him and Yuki Tsunoda more seriously this season, thanks to their rebranded and redesigned Visa Cash App RB cars.
The team formerly known as AlphaTauri have suffered a decline in results in the last few seasons, going from sixth in the constructors' championship in 2021 to ninth in 2022 and eighth in 2023.
To help improve results, RB has reshuffled its technical department over the winter of 2024, with former McLaren chief engineer Tim Goss and Alpine sporting director Alan Permane joining the team. Goss will serve as chief technical officer whilst Permane becomes racing director.
“I think it's a year where we feel like we kind of stand on our own two feet and have some serious partners on board,” told Ricciardo. “And I think that's massively beneficial for us as a team.
“The structure has changed a lot, a lot of new personnel coming in, and we’re trying to really build something that's going to fight, obviously, we all hope for now, at the front of the midfield.
“We want to be fighting at the front of the midfield, So if we're consistently a Q3 car, consistently getting points, top 10s, not just the odd race, maybe a sixth and then a 15th.
“I think because consistency then kind of really shows that you have an understanding of the car, and the team has a good grasp on it, and that can then help you go that step closer to the front. So consistency, that's what I'm going for so far.”