MILAN, Italy -- Daniel Ricciardo does not believe 2017 title contenders Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton are a cut above their nearest rivals.
For the fourth season in a row, Ricciardo's Red Bull is off the pace of the title contenders. The Australian has solidified himself as one of the grid's premier talents since joining and has accumulated five victories in that time.
Red Bull was expected to excel under F1's radical regulation change this season but it was Ferrari who stepped up to challenge Mercedes this year. With Vettel and Hamilton -- the winners of seven of the last nine drivers' titles -- battling for this year's championship, Ricciardo is convinced he and teammate Max Verstappen would be in the mix with more competitive machinery.