Time for a Red Bull title charge, declares Ricciardo

Daniel Ricciardo has called on Red Bull to deliver a championship-winning statement of intent at Formula One’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix — but fears Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes team will still be the sport’s leading force.

Red Bull started last season off the pace of both Mercedes and Ferrari, but ended the campaign with two victories from the last six rounds after Ricciardo’s team-mate Max Verstappen won in Malaysia and then Mexico.

Home favourite Ricciardo will head into Melbourne’s Albert Park opener hopeful that Red Bull have continued to take strides over the winter as he bids to secure his first podium finish in front of the Australian crowd.