Daniel Ricciardo is leaving Australia with a severe reality check.

Like the rest of the Formula One field, Ricciardo is struggling to find positives from being dominated by Mercedes in Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg lapped all but three cars en route to a resounding one-two finish.

And Ricciardo, who finished sixth, says his Red Bull Racing team leave Melbourne with little else but some points in the constructors’ championship.

“We obviously got away with some points, but other than that not much more,” he said.

“We got 58 laps worth of data to try and make something of it but we got lapped so we have got some pace to find.

“We are definitely behind but I am sure we will get there.”

Ricciardo now heads for the Malaysian Grand Prix on March 29 and like fellow drivers is wondering how to reduce the gap to Mercedes.

Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, who finished some 34 seconds behind Hamilton, believes all teams will find that task difficult.

“If you look at the gap, for no-one it’s going to be easy,” Vettel said.

But the victorious Hamilton remained wary of Ferrari in particular.

“The Ferraris have taken a huge step forward,” Hamilton said.

“So clearly we can’t back off because I’m sure they are going to be pushing and I anticipate we might have a good fight with them at some stage this year.”

His teammate Rosberg agreed, wishing Ferrari and other teams to challenge.

“I hope we can have a good fight, that would be awesome,” Rosberg said.

“In the next couple of races we are going to be leading the way for sure. And we are going to try and keep it that way.

“But it would be good if they could come a bit closer – as long as they don’t come too close.”