Record-breaking Ricciardo wanted quicker lap

Daniel Ricciardo suggested that Red Bull are yet to find their absolute best, despite breaking the unofficial lap record at the Circuit de Catalunya on Wednesday. The Australian clocked one minute and 18.047 seconds to move a benchmark that had stood for a decade.

Felipe Massa had set the previous unofficial record, while the official best is held by Kimi Raikkonen.

But Ricciardo broke new ground on Wednesday with a time set on Pirelli's fresh-for-2018 hypersoft compound.

Mercedes chief Toto Wolff has already suggested that Red Bull could be favourites for honours in 2018 and Ricciardo reported that his team are in a "decent place".

Ricciardo said: "It was a good day today. I survived!

"Today's was an optimistic run plan and I didn't think we'd get that much done but we got through all of it, so that was good. I think I'll sleep well tonight!

A big day for @danielricciardo who tallies 165 laps in the #RB14 and tops the timesheet with a 1:18.047 ???????? #F1Testing pic.twitter.com/EjKtKu3X1l — Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) March 7, 2018

"It was a good bunch of laps today and I got a few quick ones in there, which was nice.

"The hypersoft tyre helped of course but we made some changes early this morning and after some medium runs then we went to the softer tyres and the changes we made seemed to help the car so there was just a bit more confidence and the track was a good temperature today so we could start to get some real testing in.

"It was OK; I would have liked to get into the 17s, but we'll save that for the racing.

"In terms of the shape we're in, I think we're getting there, we're in a decent place."