Daniel Ricciardo believes that Red Bull have improved since the Australian Grand Prix, but wants the team to edge closer to the leading pack.

The 26-year-old finished sixth in Melbourne, well behind both Williams and Ferrari, whom they beat in last year's constructors' championship.

However, Ricciardo has claimed that a fourth-placed grid position for Sunday's Malaysian Grand Prix represents progress, albeit aided by indifferent weather.

"We've definitely made some progress since Melbourne," Ricciardo told reporters. "We would like to be closer to the guys in front, but in saying that we're ahead of the Williams, and that's a positive. Bit by bit, we'll get closer.

"Fourth was definitely the best we could have done, we probably would have been fifth if it had been dry. It's positive in the wet at least and I think we'll have some fun tomorrow as tyre degradation is going to be massive. It's probably going to be a three-stop race so we'll have to hang on."

Ricciardo won three races last season, in Canada, Hungary and Belgium.