Daniel Ricciardo says that he felt relieved to have held on to finish on the podium after holding off Sebastian Vettel in today’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
The Red Bull driver had run in third for the majority of the race and at one stage appeared to be catching the leading Mercedes, but fell back and survived a late challenged from Vettel’s Ferrari in the closing stages.
“I’m pleased with the podium,” says Ricciardo. “I think the first part of the race we looked quite competitive. But then yeah, it looked like Mercedes had a bit more in their back pocket and were able to improve the pace as the race went on.”
“In the end the fight was then with Sebastian. It got pretty close at the end; did quite a long stint on those tyres. It wasn’t easy. The last lap, I’m sure he had DRS and, at least in my mirrors, it looked like he got quite close in Turn One. So, yeah, bit of a fight. So it was a bit of a relief actually coming across and keeping third.”
Ricciardo briefly appeared to have taken second from Nico Rosberg in the first turn after a bold move around the outside, but lost out in turn two when the Mercedes fought back.
“Obviously we got close at the start and tried around the outside of Turn One and I couldn’t really see – I think at the time – Lewis, when Lewis and Nico were in my blind spot,” says Ricciardo.
“So at the apex of Turn One I thought I was in the lead and then saw one of the Mercedes sneak up on the exit. And then, yeah, into Turn Two, I was just on the inside and Nico had a clear run and got better drive.”
The race marks only the second podium appearance of the season for Ricciardo, after he finished second in Monaco after a disastrous pit stop most likely cost him victory.
“It’s great to have another podium this year,” Ricciardo says.
“Obviously the first one was a bit bittersweet but this one I can definitely enjoy and for sure the smile’s back. Super happy to be here today. It’s three years in a row I’ve been on the podium at this circuit.”
2016 Hungarian Grand Prix
all Hungarian Grand Prix articles
Tristan
24th July 2016, 19:40
Very important win in the team mate battle. I’m surprised they didn’t compromise his strategy for Verstappen’s considering the impeccable ability he has shown to keep Ferrari’s behind, but Ricciardo pulled through. Cracking intra team battle shaping up for the next couple years at Red Bull, both drivers proving up to the task.
NewVerstappenFan (@jureo)
24th July 2016, 21:35
It seems easy, takes a car nearly 3s per lap faster to overtake… Yet still he was under preasure, got the most possible out of the race, properly established himself as a clear #1.
Very important in a world where you are only as good as your last race. Now reporters will stop asking him if Verstappen is faster than him in quali and race.atleast for 6 days.
Arnoud van Houwelingen
27th July 2016, 0:50
There is no number #1 and number #2 at RBR .. Like it should be!
pcxmac (@xsavior)
24th July 2016, 23:15
looked like Max would get the better of him after the first pit, I thought. But RIC held on to it. Well played.
ia
25th July 2016, 13:02
We don’t know how Max would have fared if he had been in third position.
Seems like he had the bad luck that Daniel had in a few races.
Still it seems that Max has higher race pace then Daniel under equal circumstances.
He might have attacked Daniel like he did in Austria had it not been this track.
But Max felt like he was driving like a grandma. So maybe he “didn’t feel it” yesterday.
Should have, could have discussion.
ia
25th July 2016, 13:09
Btw Vettel got the undercut on Max.
Doubt if Max could have passed Vettel on this track if he had ended before Kimi after the pit stop.
No one seemed to be able to pass cars.
Max just got the unlucky second pit stop, that destroyed his podium chances.
Should have qualified better or taken better position at the start. That’s F1 racing.
Ricciardo had that happen too in other races.
bogaaaa (@nosehair)
26th July 2016, 8:27
Max blew his race early by chewing up his tyres and overdriving which might explain his pace for a few laps, he wasn’t in Ric class when it come to quali and the race..
CarWars (@maxv)
26th July 2016, 13:17
Not really, he would have passed Ricciardo on the first pitstop (Ricciardo was held up a bit on his outlap) had it not been for a 3,5sec slowest of all pitstops. Dont know if the team botched it or if Verstappen messed up his in lap.
Arnoud van Houwelingen
27th July 2016, 0:56
Well Max put in the fastest lap this weekend for RBR so pace is there only timing was wrong. He was also the fastest in Q2 of all the drivers. He is getting there!
Mark
27th July 2016, 9:51
He was also exceeding track limits……two warnings during the race to Ricciardos zero.
Matn
27th July 2016, 22:27
The Dutch commentator said ‘tell an F1 driver he may exceed tracklimits 3 times, he will’.
It’s just like all comments on Verstappens defending, within the rules, but we all have an opinion on the matter.
This race was decided mostly from the first lap on, Ferrari played it very smart as overtaking is near impossible. Horner admitted it wasn’t possible to get in front of Vettel with two cars so they chose Ricciardo who was in front, in hindsight a wise decision. Ricciardo did a good race.
It was a pity though Q3 got ruined for a couple of drivers, it would have, most likely, been a different grid with different front runners.
Although admittedly Ricciardo had a reasonable qualifying and a very descent race, it would have been likely Verstappen could have beaten him in Q3, sector times tells us Verstappen was potentially faster.