F1 News: Daniel Ricciardo Ready To "Kick Some A**" In Australia Grand Prix
In the aftermath of a challenging performance at the Jeddah circuit, Daniel Ricciardo has reflected on his performance, but looks forward to making the most of his upcoming home race in Melbourne.
Key Takeaways:
- Daniel Ricciardo's race in Saudi Arabia was compromised by a 40-second pit stop and a late-race spin, resulting in a 16th place finish.
- Ricciardo light-heartedly suggested his spin was to make the team feel part of the day's struggles, though he admitted it could have been due to frustration.
- Ahead of his home race in Australia, Ricciardo is focused on collaboration with the team to rectify the car's performance issues.
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The season's beginning has not gone as planned for RB Racing, with Daniel Ricciardo and his teammate Yuki Tsunoda departing the Jeddah circuit empty-handed, a plight exacerbated by a problematic 41-second pit stop and Ricciardo's own error resulting in a spin. Starting 14th on the grid, it was a race to forget for the Australian who's trying to prove he's good enough for a seat in Red Bull's latest machinery.
In the later stages of the race, a mishap at Turn 1 added to his challenges, which Ricciardo later addressed with his typical humour.
"I didn’t want the team to feel left out," he joked, although he later contemplated whether frustration had played a role in his mistake. He elaborated:
“The spin? Yeah, maybe. I stayed… I don’t know. I did just take a bit too much kerb, which caused the spin. I’m not intending on taking that much kerb.
"You could say just probably a little bit of frustration, maybe on my part. But of course, I’m not trying to spin. So yeah, I don’t know. No excuses. But doing some work. I’ll use that as an excuse.”
Reflecting on the eventful weekend and the performance of the RB01, Ricciardo admitted the car revealed its limitations.
"We simply don’t have everything functioning at 100 percent. So we see a few flaws, honestly, with the car," he disclosed.
With an eye towards the Australian Grand Prix, Ricciardo's spirits are high, and his determination to bounce back is palpable.
"So I’ll make sure that we have a good package into Melbourne and let’s say my season will start there and kick some ass," he affirmed.