Renault now has "complete car" - Ricciardo

Daniel Ricciardo believes Renault now has a car that can compete in all conditions and on all types of circuit.

Over the last five grands prix, Ricciardo has scored more points than every other driver with the exception of Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas.

The high-scoring run culminated in Ricciardo claiming Renault's first podium for nine years, while it was also his own first top-three finish for almost two and a half years since a Monaco Grand Prix victory with Red Bull in 2018.

The run of results since the Belgian Grand Prix - that has also included two fourth-place finishes, a fifth and a sixth - has come on a variety of different circuits in terms of downforce levels and corner speeds.

It is proving to Ricciardo that he can go on to secure his best championship finish since 2016, and Renault can nab third place in the constructors' championship as it battles with Racing Point and McLaren.

"Last year as a team it was quite frustrating for us because we'd have the odd really good result, but we lacked the consistency that we've shown this year," said Ricciardo.

"That's been really positive, not only on Saturdays but Sundays, and now on all types of circuits, so it's good. I'd say the car is a pretty complete car.

"It's still not as quick as a Mercedes, but for that midfield fight, we've got a car that can fight now until the end."

Team principal Cyril Abiteboul is in agreement with Ricciardo that the RS20 is "a good all-rounder" following its performance at the Nürburgring.

Abiteboul has conceded the team headed into the race "with some doubt" as it ran "the extreme high downforce level" on the car for the first time since the Spanish Grand Prix at Barcelona where the RS20 had performed poorly as the team failed to score a point.

"We have a behaviour and some characteristics in terms of the stability [of the car] that have been a problem at tracks like Barcelona, like Budapest," said Abiteboul. "It [Nürburgring] is not exactly the same type of track but the same level of downforce.

"I think we adapted in Mugello and in Sochi, and this track was probably the last point of that set that was missing to confirm that.

"Having said that, if you ask me what’s missing to be a regular contender for the podium, let’s be clear, we are still missing one per cent of competitiveness."

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