SAO PAULO, Brazil -- Daniel Ricciardo is expecting to take a grid penalty at this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix after his recent spate of reliability issues looks set to spill over into another round.
The Red Bull driver has retired from the last two races with power unit issues and looks set to be hit with a ten-place grid penalty for an MGU-H component change ahead of the Brazilian weekend.
"I may have to take another penalty. It is likely," Ricciardo said in the paddock on Thursday. "We could maybe avoid it but it is probably going to put us in a risk again of not finishing. We tried to avoid it last weekend and it still didn't happen. I probably won't have a big one, but if it is, it could be like 10 places. The plan if that is the case is to start the race in 11th!
"If they say you have 10 per cent chance of finishing, then I will want to change it. If they are like 50/50, then I will take the risk. But I have a feeling it is less than a 50 per cent chance. Or if we have the parts at all, which I am still not 100 per cent sure of.
"Coming into the weekend we get a pre-race report from the engineer, and he gave me a heads-up it is likely we will take a penalty."
Ricciardo's recent reliability issues have coincided with teammate Max Verstappen hitting a patch of form, scoring two wins, a second place and a fourth place in the last four races. Ricciardo says the rivalry with his teammate has helped push him harder this year and he believes a second win before the end of the season is possible.
"We have been a good threat for each other the last nearly two years now. He has been strong this year. He has improved since last year, and the last few races he has had a really good run, so. "I look at [the last race in] Mexico, and a lot of times if you DNF and your teammate wins, it is even worse. For me I was disappointed with my race but I was happy how his performance went because it actually meant it is a fact that if he is making it work then we have a car to win.
"I believe we have a chance to win before the season is out. So two more chances. We are pushing each other. For next year I am happy to continue this. for now, it is a good rivalry."