MIAMI — It was actually a story of two classes for Daniel Ricciardo Saturday at Arduous Rock Stadium.
The Australian driver and fan favourite turned in an enormous efficiency in Saturday’s F1 Dash Race, following up his P4 in Dash Qualifying Friday afternoon with a fourth-place end, securing his first factors of the season. Not solely was the end result spectacular for Ricciardo, however it was how the motive force delivered it, as he held off a charging duo of Carlos Sainz Jr. and Oscar Piastri within the closing laps to offer Visa Money App RB F1 Workforce their finest results of the Method 1 season.
And you possibly can see the aid from Ricciardo after the session, as he lingered within the TV media pen so long as he may, talking with each outlet and soaking within the second.
Saturday afternoon’s qualifying session for the Miami Grand Prix was a a lot completely different story, that might be summed up in his preliminary remark to the assembled written media:
“Disclaimer, let’s speak concerning the Dash Race,” joked the motive force to the media members, together with SB Nation.
Ricciardo did not advance out of Q1, qualifying in P18. Once you issue within the three-place grid penalty that can be utilized at first, attributable to an incident within the Chinese language Grand Prix, meaning Ricciardo can be beginning Sunday’s important occasion in the back of the pack.
“I really feel like, it was a kind of ones that was simply … I don’t suppose we may have achieved something. I didn’t have the grip beginning the lap,” described Ricciardo. “I genuinely felt like Lando [Norris] in SQ3 [Saturday]. I don’t know what he stated afterwards, however he was just about a second slower and you possibly can see him sliding on the exit of Flip 1 and it was a multitude and it’s truthfully how I felt.”
Over the course of his media session, Ricciardo took one thing of a philosophical tone.
“Clearly at present was this morning was nice. And I advised the crew, ‘[l]et’s get pleasure from this for half-hour, you already know, be sure that we don’t type of overlook about it.’ As a result of, you already know, clearly I didn’t anticipate this, however you by no means know.
“The game is … it’s a really fascinating sport, and it will possibly clearly change in a short time.”
Ricciardo additionally admitted to taking some pleasure with the Dash Race earlier within the day.
“It’s so good to combat on the entrance, after all. However then to be, simply holding off what we all know are sooner automobiles it seems like … yeah, it’s a press release and it’s good,” stated Ricciardo. “Good to have that canine in me.
“Lots of people like to speak shit so it’s good to carry a few center fingers up, subtly.”
There’s that canine, certainly.