Ricciardo Clinches Fourth in Miami Sprint Quals

Daniel Ricciardo secures a strong fourth place in Miami’s F1 Sprint qualifying, showcasing his skill.

Ricciardo caused a stir during the Sprint qualifying in Miami by securing the fourth fastest time, earning him a second-row start alongside Sergio Pérez. The RB F1 driver is pleased to be back at a high level and to compete with confidence.

“I know it’s in me, but did I expect a second-row start? Probably not, nothing this good,” Ricciardo exults. “I felt really good in SQ2 and knew that lap would be good enough for SQ3. I think I was fifth at that time and in my head, I thought that would be really good for SQ3, and then we managed to get fourth place.”

“The laps were good, but it’s hard to be really clean here, it was a tricky track to gauge, and it’s tough to produce a time you can be pleased with. During two laps, I kissed the wall, I was really pushing. I’m very proud of what I did. I did it today, but the team has also made improvements over the last few races.”

Ricciardo sees a difference with his chassis change and the new updates brought by his team: “I switched the chassis in China and we had a new floor here, so it really seems like it’s making a difference. It’s so nice to start towards the front of the grid, even if it’s the Sprint. There are significant points up for grabs for the team.”

Yuki Tsunoda was eliminated in SQ2 after trying to advance with just one fast lap: “SQ1 was OK, so the car was there, but ultimately, we couldn’t maximize performance. We tried to make it through in one lap, but it didn’t work.”

“I also failed to put everything together. In hindsight, maybe two fast laps would have worked better for us, but the pace shown by the car gives me confidence for the rest of the weekend.”