As he prepares for the curtain to be introduced down on his F1 profession, whereas insisting he has no regrets, Daniel Ricciardo takes consolation from last accolade from the followers.
Regardless of a lights to flag victory that additional closed the hole to Max Verstappen, it wasn’t Lando Norris that was voted ‘driver of the day’ on the official F1 web site, however Daniel Ricciardo.
Usually one would cry that, like most polls, it was fastened, but when all of the hypothesis proves true Sunday was the favored Australian’s last F1 race.
Aside from profitable the favored vote, having claimed the quickest lap of the race, thereby depriving Norris of what may very well be an important championship level, Ricciardo helped his former crew and teammate of their battle with the Briton and McLaren.
Conscious of the truth that this might need been his last race, Sky Sports activities went in with all of the sensitivity one has come to anticipate, Simon Lazenby being the form of broadcaster who would ask the proprietor of a Derby winner, ‘however what do you do with all of the horse shit?’
At race finish, whereas others have been eager to extract themselves from the sauna-like situations of their cockpits as rapidly as attainable, the Australian lingered just a bit bit longer.
“The cockpit is one thing that I obtained very used to for a few years,” he subsequently informed reporters. “I simply needed to savour the second.”
Whereas RB hasn’t formally stated something about him being dropped but, Liam Lawson’s presence all through the weekend was apparent.
Requested whether or not he shall be within the automotive on the Circuit of the Americas, Ricciardo admitted: “There’s a practical probability it is not going to occur.
“It has been a really race-by-race state of affairs with Pink Bull, I feel for all of us in a method,,” he continued, “clearly Checo as effectively,” he added. “At occasions it feels prefer it’s going a method, then it goes the opposite.”
Certainly each drivers went into the summer time break fearing the worst however each got a reprieve. Nonetheless, neither seems to have taken full alternative and within the Mexican’s case it’s unlikely he shall be retained for Pink Bull for subsequent season. Whereas Ricciardo completed 18th after qualifying sixteenth, Perez completed tenth after qualifying thirteenth, hardly the assist his crew wants in its battle with McLaren for the constructors’ title.
“There was numerous emphasis on this weekend,” Ricciardo admitted. “I might have beloved a greater weekend and who is aware of if that may have modified something, or if the choice’s been made already previous to the weekend.”
Requested if he fears his F1 profession is over, Ricciardo replied: “I am clearly ready for it. That is why, over the weekend, I attempted to acknowledge just a few issues as effectively with myself, acknowledge additionally why I got here again into the game.
“I all the time stated I do not wish to be a man who’s simply right here on the grid and preventing for some extent once in a while, which has type of been how this yr’s gone. The aim was to try to do adequate to get again into Pink Bull and struggle for wins once more, see if I’ve nonetheless obtained it. I felt like I got here up quick with that.”
In a transfer that has angered Zak Brown – what would not you would possibly effectively ask – Ricciardo claimed the quickest lap of the race, thereby depriving Norris of the purpose and aiding his former teammate and former crew.
“On the finish we have been there, not likely in any place, so we tried to go for quickest lap and I assume it helped perhaps Max out by Abu Dhabi,” stated the Australian. “Possibly there is a Christmas current coming if he wins by some extent!,” he laughed.
“I heard one thing about $3.5m bonus for quickest lap,” he added, “Pink Bull was throwing some loopy numbers round.
“Look, I attempted clearly to take pleasure in it, a bit of bit like the top of ’22 at McLaren, clearly I used to be conscious perhaps that was my final race, so I attempted to take pleasure in that.
“I feel I am in a a lot happier place within the sport now than I used to be then. If this was it, then for instance I’ve a bit of bit extra peace. I am happy with the profession; I attempted to turn into world champion, I attempted to turn into the perfect at one thing on the earth.
“I feel it’s a tall ask that we ask from ourselves. Some obtain it, some do not. In the long run, if I got here up a bit of quick, I additionally cannot be too laborious on myself. I am pleased with the trouble I put in and for that there is no unhappiness or feeling of remorse for what might have been.”
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