Ricciardo to 'push the bar' with transformed team

For the second straight day of Formula 1 pre-season testing, RB driver Daniel Ricciardo has shown promising signs ahead of the 2024 championship.

After finishing fourth quickest on day one of testing in Bahrain with a hot lap of 1:32.599, Ricciardo backed up with fifth fastest on day two, clocking 1:31:361.

In comparison, Ricciardo's effort put him 1.440s behind pace-setter Carlos Sainz and 6.713s behind his RB teammate Yuki Tsunoda.

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The West Australian completed 88 laps in the afternoon session — the seventh most of the grid — his best lap set on the C4 compound of Pirelli tyres.

Under new team principal Laurent Mekies, RB has taken on more parts and components from its sister team Red Bull Racing, and their practice times are starting to reflect the partnership.

Despite his lap times drawing attention, Ricciardo is not getting too carried away, believing testing only unearths unanswered questions before the real racing gets underway.

"You see Sainz in first, there are so many questions: Is it fuel? Is it the engine? Is it disallowed and at what time of the day?," Ricciardo said after testing wrapped up for the day.

"You just never know. So, I think regardless of where we are on the timesheets, I am just staying somewhere in the middle.

"I am aware we're not going to be a pole position car next week but I like to think we are still in that midfield hunt and for us to start the season, if we find ourselves in Q3 [during qualifying] and [within the] points on a Sunday, that's a good start.

"I think that's the goal. Whether we get it or not, time will tell, but I think that's the start.

"Then as the season goes on, as we learn a bit more about the car and working together with a lot of new personnel, I think that's when we can start to push the bar a little more."

RB, formerly known as AlphaTauri, finished at the back of the field last year but is targeting triumphs over the likes of McLaren, Alpine and Aston Martin in 2024.

Fellow Australian Oscar Piastri recorded a 1:32:328 to put him more than two seconds behind Sainz's Ferrari in 10th.

Sainz set the pace on day two with a time of 1:29:921 — 0.758 seconds faster than Red Bull rival Sergio Perez.

Lewis Hamilton, who will replace Sainz at Ferrari at the end of the season, finished third fastest but was more than a second adrift of the SF-24.

Piastri's McLaren teammate Lando Norris set a 1:31:256 to slot into fourth position.

The rest of the top 10 was rounded out by Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), Esteban Ocon (Alpine) and Valtteri Bottas (Sauber).

Reigning world champion Max Verstappen was the fastest on day one but was swapped out for his Red Bull teammate because of scheduling disruptions.

Williams' Alexander Albon and Mercedes' George Russell also did not complete any laps on day two.

One day of pre-season testing remains before the 24-race regular season gets underway with the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday morning.