14/12/2015
NEWS STORY
Whilst Red Bull failed to win a race for the first time since 2008, and only scored three podium finishes - his second-place in Singapore being the best - the ever-smiling Daniel Ricciardo takes mostly positives out of 2015.
"I look back with a smile," he told the official F1 website. "Sure it had some frustrations but there were still some positives.
"I feel I learned a lot," he added. "I'm still young, I feel I still have a lot to learn and achieve in the sport. Some of the harder times, I took a lot out of.
The seemingly never-ending engine saga now resolved, at least for 2016, the team sticking with Renault, albeit badged as Tag Heuer, the Australian remains optimistic.
"Hopefully we can find a few more occasions to battle at the front," he says, "we can definitely make progress, and I definitely enjoy fighting at the front."
Having been out-scored by his new teammate, Daniil Kvyat, Ricciardo expects another hard fight next season.
"I think Dany had a solid season," he admits, "it started off a bit slow but he picked himself up well and maintained that. He started to get more comfortable in the team and felt a bit more established.
"Obviously it will keep coming with age, so next year he will be more competitive and I'm sure he will find more speed again. A new challenge for me, but I'm looking forward to that."
As for his former teammate, Sebastian Vettel, now revitalised at Ferrari.
"Seb picked himself up from, by his standards, not a great 2014. He found a new lease of energy and life at Ferrari, and ran with that opportunity.
"Mercedes is still the team to beat, I'm sure of that," he concluded. "Ferrari are interesting, they made a big step this year, and if they make another step like that they'll be in good shape to fight with Mercedes.
"I know if I put in the off-season I need and have my head in the right space, which 99.9 percent of the time it is, I think it will be a fun season," he added.