Daniel Ricciardo admits Red Bull's Chinese Grand Prix qualifying pace is a realistic reflection of where the team currently stands in the 2017 Formula One pecking order.
The Australian qualified best of the rest behind both Mercedes and Ferrari drivers to secure fifth place on the grid in Shanghai, albeit over 1.3 seconds down on Lewis Hamilton's pole time and 0.9s adrift of Kimi Raikkonen in fourth.
"I'd say probably at the moment [it's] realistic," Ricciardo said of his pace. "I felt like the balance was not too bad. I think this morning we weren't too happy with it but I think we improved it for qualifying and the car didn't feel too bad.
"I haven't done enough long runs yet to know where we are, I think in the long runs we are still a second or so off. So I don't expect to be much closer in race conditions. I know that doesn't sound very optimistic but realistically I think we're probably the same in both fuel loads.
"I think we were in this position at the beginning of last year, maybe even the year before," he added. "So let's just go better than fifth [in the race]. Let's not drop any further back but let's just try and chip away at it. It's not an overnight thing. We can still learn about the car but I think we are a good second off."
Despite rain looking a likely prospect for race day, Ricciardo believes it would be naive to think Red Bull could suddenly compete with Mercedes and Ferrari for victory in China if it does prove to be wet.
"I got asked a few times if the rain will be good for us," Ricciardo said. "I think it will be because it creates a bit more excitement and maybe a chance for the top guys to make some mistakes or have a few issues, and of course the driver can maybe try and get more out of it in the wet. I think typically in the past we are strong because we have got good down force on the car.
"For me I feel that's why Mercedes and Ferrari are a step or two above us now, is because they've... I'm trying to figure it out and I guess it's down force. Obviously there's mechanical things in the car but I guess the grip and the pure load they are generating is higher than everyone else so. I think in the wet we'd be naive to think we are going to be quicker than them."