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Daniel Ricciardo says his RB team will need to have a "perfect race" to score points at the start of this Formula 1 season.
The Australian finished 13th in last weekend's season opener in Bahrain, one place ahead of teammate Yuki Tsunoda.
Ricciardo finished that race promisingly on fresh soft tyres but says there is plenty of work to be done before his team will be finishing in the top 10.
"In the short term, it will take a perfect race from us to finish in the points, but I believe that over the course of the next few races, we'll continue to get stronger and stronger," he said.
"Saudi is a very different track, and I'm excited to be racing there again."
This Sunday's (AEDT) Saudi Arabian Grand Prix around the streets of Jeddah provides a vastly different challenge for the teams.
The fast and winding street circuit is a tricky one for teams to prepare for, and has thrown up some mixed results in its short history.
The race has been held three times, with three different winners
Ricciardo has happy memories from Jeddah, guiding his McLaren to fifth in the maiden race in 2021.
"It's a great track, one I enjoy a lot, and I'm really happy to be going back there," he said.
The grip is pretty high for a street circuit, so I'm looking forward to the high-speed challenge and the adrenaline spike that comes with it."
The opening race of the season for RB ended in controversy, with Tsunoda unhappy with being asked to move aside for Ricciardo who was on faster tyres.
There was tension between the two, with the pair bemoaning their frustrations over their team radio.
Ricciardo called his Japanese teammate "a f***ing helmet" after an incident between the two during the cool-down lap at the end of the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Ricciardo and Tsunoda are both off contract at the end of 2025 and both have been suggested as potential teammates for Max Verstappen at Red Bull Racing next year.
Ricciardo tried to hose down any tension within the team in his statement following last weekend's race.
"The call for the drivers' swap was quite expected and came with no surprise," he said.
"Before the race, we obviously talked with the team about strategy plans, and it was highly likely I was going to finish the race with a new set of soft tyres after starting the race with a used set.
"It is what it is, and let's turn the page now."
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