Daniel Ricciardo’s promising run in the Chinese GP ended abruptly after a collision. The RB F1 driver’s speed and strategy were set for a top 10 finish until disrupted.
Daniel Ricciardo was pleased with his race pace in China before being collided into by Lance Stroll. The RB F1 driver noted that his tires were performing very well, and he felt comfortable in his car, which led to some regrets.
“It really was a yo-yo-shaped race,” Ricciardo said shortly after the race. “Everyone pitted early, so we stayed out longer. Once we put on the second set of mediums, we were very good.”
“I know we only did five or six laps, but I felt quick. The tires still being very good, we chose to stay out for track position. We were then going to put on a soft at the end. We would have been in a very good position.”
“Obviously, the disappointment and frustration are immediate, but it was really a good weekend. As a team, we feel like we’ve been punched in the gut. But deeper, we’ve probably found some positives.”
“A big missed opportunity”
Laurent Mekies, the team director, praised the progress shown by Ricciardo over the weekend and was convinced his driver would have had a say in the battle for the tenth-place point if not for this misfortune.
“It’s a big opportunity lost. Both of our cars were taken out by competitors in a single lap, so it’s a big missed opportunity. We think we were fighting for that point in the usual group, and it would have been a tight battle,” notes Mekies.
“Just before the safety car, Daniel was indeed attacking Hamilton. So you know, we had good pace and we had the right tires. We think it could have been a fair battle with Hulkenberg for that position. But that’s racing.”
“It didn’t go as we wished. But what’s reassuring is that we had the pace to fight for that point, even though we started a bit back on Friday. But the race pace was there. And it’s nice to see Daniel performing at this level, he’s made good progress.”
Collision Derails Ricciardo’s Promising Top-10 Run. Collision Derails Ricciardo’s Promising Top-10 Run
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