Daniel Ricciardo says he is frustrated by Formula One's politics as he prepares for another season of being off the front-running pace in the Red Bull.
Ricciardo won three races in his debut season with Red Bull in 2014, but it proved to be the start of the team's decline and last year he scored just two podiums. Red Bull laid much of the blame for its poor performance at the door of engine supplier Renault, but after attempting to secure engine contracts with Mercedes, Ferrari and Honda, it will compete with TAG Heuer-badged Renault engines this year.
Red Bull's lack of horsepower has left Ricciardo frustrated and he believes politics is ultimately standing in the way of securing an engine to match the team's chassis.
"It's always been political, but probably now to a point that it's too much," he said. "Obviously we tried to get a Mercedes engine, we tried to get a Ferrari engine but basically politics got in the way. It's hard when there is so much money and politics involved but it would be nice sometimes to put the bulls--- aside and say, 'alright, that's that and that's that' bolt on the engine and let's go racing."
Ricciardo is wary Red Bull might fall behind in the early part of the season, but expects the team to finish up with the third quickest car behind Mercedes and Ferrari.
"I think the first few races are a lottery and sure teams like Toro Rosso could be in front of us at the first couple of races, Haas you never know, McLaren if they find the speed... there are a lot more teams that have bigger ground to make than Mercedes and Ferrari, and Williams as well. I think if we can get past the first few races in the top six or top eight then I think come the European season we can really start to make the ground we need to.
"I'd like to say we can end up challenging Ferrari and Mercedes, but realistically I think we'll end up being the third team at some point over the year with the odd podium here or there, and if it rains the odd victory."
Asked if Red Bull's fortunes were largely resting on Renault's progress with its engine, Ricciardo said: "For sure a lot is still dependant on the power unit. With us, I think we got the car a lot better aerodynamically last year. I think there was still one weakness about it that we knew and if we can find that then the car is going to be pretty bang on."