Horner: No link between Ricciardo's last two defeats

A pitstop error in Monaco on Sunday robbed Ricciardo of what would have been a spectacular win on the streets of Monte Carlo, while in Spain a fortnight ago he saw victory slip through his hands after he was put on the wrong strategy.

But despite the double blow, which the Australian admitted left him feeling 'hurt', his boss insists that the two incidents are entirely unrelated.

"This is a very, very different situation to Barcelona," explained Horner.

"Barcelona was a race that was very marginal between a two and a three-stop, and unfortunately he also had a puncture at the end of the race. That race could have absolutely gone either way.

"Unfortunately what has happened today, an error has happened and that has been very expensive. It has not just cost us a victory but a victory in Monte Carlo, on a day when we could have beaten Mercedes."

True test coming up

Thanks to an engine upgrade from Renault, Monaco marked one of the few weekends in recent history when Mercedes has not had the fastest car.

But with the team clear the high-downforce demands of the street circuit played well to the strengths of the Red Bull chassis, Horner is well aware that the more power sensitive track in Canada will be a much more relevant test.

"I think that we have had two very competitive weekends now, but particularly this weekend versus Mercedes," said Horner.

"We got the pole position, we ran around – and again it has been Daniel and Lewis who have been the class of the field today.

"The true test for us will be in two weeks' time in Montreal, to see how we fare there, which is a completely different type of venue."