Daniel Ricciardo says Renault’s slender lead over Toro Rosso heading into the final round of the season has created some tension for the team.

Toro Rosso unexpectedly closed to within eight points of Renault largely thanks to Pierre Gasly’s second place at Interlagos . The team could achieve a best-ever constructors’ championship finish of fifth if they overhaul Renault in the points standings.

“I won’t lie, there is a duty to take care of and there is a bit of tension,” said Ricciardo after both Toro Rossos out-paced the Renaults in second practice.

“They looked alright today as well. I like that we sort of have something to fight for in the last race. It keeps us on our toes, so I like that. We’ve got some work to do but I think by tomorrow we’ll be OK.”

Ricciardo said the engine which failed in his car was “towards the end of its life”. The team fitted his race second for second practice.

“The afternoon was a smoother session but on one-lap pace we weren’t fast. The long runs were a bit better but surely we’ve got to find something on on one-lap pace.

“So that’s what we’ll work on tonight, try and understand it. Watching some onboards now of the other cars, I think we know where we miss it, but we’ve got to find that in the set-up now.”

He believes some of the missing lap time can be found in preparing the tyres better.

“I would say we didn’t get the most out of the tyre because I did my best lap on the second time and I think with a C5 here it shouldn’t be the case. I don’t think I worked the tyre good enough on the out-lap and it was didn’t feel like it was ready to start the lap for me.

“So I think there’ll be some free lap time in that but we can’t hope that’s going to give us six, eight tenths. We’ve certainly got to find something in the set-up. Probably split it down the middle: 50 in the set-up, 50 in warm-up and feeling on tyres.”

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2019 F1 season