Daniel Ricciardo says Renault has to accept it is unlikely to beat McLaren over the remaining races of 2019.

Renault has gradually been out-paced by its engine customer over the year and McLaren is on course to beat them to fourth place in the constructors’ championship.

“Obviously they’ve been a target for us this year but now that we’re at the end of the year, pretty much, I think we have to accept that they’ve been better than us this year and more times than not now they’re going to be faster than us,” said Ricciardo.

The McLaren pair claimed the fourth row of the grid for today’s race. Daniel Ricciardo will start behind them in ninth but was almost six tenths of a second slower than the fastest McLaren.

“It’s just how it is,” he said. “To be disappointed they’re in front now doesn’t really make sense any more because I think that we have to accept that at the moment they are in front. So being behind them, I think was the best I could do.

“I’m obviously not saying we’re going to give up for the next few races. But looking ahead to next year, hopefully we can bring them back towards us.

“They’ve made gains on the front of the field so ideally we make gains on the front with them as opposed to them falling back into us.”

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2019 F1 season