Daniel Ricciardo said Kimi Raikkonen’s gearbox change penalty worked against him as it meant he had to start from the damp side of the track.
The Red Bull driver reckoned that spoiled his start in the Japanese Grand Prix.
Hamilton said the damp patches on their side of the track didn’t affect his start, which was worse than Ricciardo’s, meaning the Red Bull driver had to dodge around him.
“I don’t think my initial launch was that bad, but then having to go around him I sort of crossed the wet patch and lost out to [Sergio] Perez,” said Ricciardo.
Ricciardo said he also had difficulty following other cars closely.
“We struggled to stay close, just seemed like we couldn’t really follow the cars that well with the dirty air and we didn’t really have the straight line speed to make an attack. We saw [Sebastian] Vettel make quick work of me and the first lap he caught Perez, he got him.”
“We just struggled in traffic today and that was pretty much that. We fell behind the eight ball from that first stint.”
“I didn’t feel there was anything else we could do, it was just sort of circumstances how the race panned out. The last stint we finally got some clean air and it looked like we could put in some quick times at the beginning. But in the end we’d conceded [fifth] and that was it.”
bogaaaa (@nosehair)
9th October 2016, 8:58
No run of the green for Dan this weekend
Miki
9th October 2016, 9:08
the car behind you also was on damp patch so is car ahead if you dont remember and the car behind you made a sublime start
MG421982 (@)
9th October 2016, 9:11
Excuses. Unless at least half of the drivers who started on the damp side had a bad start, losing at least 1 place, this remains just 1 pathetic excuse. Let’s not forget that he actually advanced 2 places since both Ferraris had to go back 5 places compared to the Quali positions! So, yeah, I think he was actually lucky this race to have 2 faster cars being “placed” behind him at the green table.
Bill
9th October 2016, 10:34
Did you read, he basically said it was the same for everybody on that side. He also states the Ferrari’s were behind. He just said it was not such a great blessing. So he acknowledges he was lucky and the same for everybody on that side, what more do you want.
MG421982 (@)
9th October 2016, 12:02
Yeah, I read! He said his grid promotion because of RAI’s 5-grid penalty wasn’t beneficial to him! This is what he said: “I think Raikkonen’s gearbox penalty this morning was sort of the opposite of a blessing in disguise.”
Baron
9th October 2016, 9:15
The damp side of the track had nothing to do with his start, which was fine even compared to the others on the ‘dry’ side. He had to react to Hamilton which cost him a little. But so did Vettel and Raikkonen. Both of which finished ahead of Ricciardo.
Ricciardo was beaten fair and square today but to no surprise to me the excuses are now coming in.
Bill
9th October 2016, 10:44
Excuses? He was asked about the race and start he was stating facts we all saw on TV.
bogaaaa (@nosehair)
11th October 2016, 18:25
Baron you remember his pit stop?
Jelle van der Meer (@)
9th October 2016, 9:20
Well he qualified 6th, started 4th and after first corner he was 4th so do not see how this affected his race.
His inability to overtake Perez was his problem and in general not having the pace even in free air.
Baron
9th October 2016, 9:57
Exactly.
Guybrush Threepwood
9th October 2016, 9:35
It was having to swerve around Hamilton during a critical phase of the start which put him behind Perez and from then on he just couldn’t overtake, similar to Vettel on Hamilton with new softs, or Hamilton on Verstappen – the faster car just can’t pass unless they are a lot quicker.
Phylyp (@phylyp)
9th October 2016, 9:38
C’mon Daniel, you’re better than this. Silence is better than excuses.
pastaman (@)
9th October 2016, 21:49
So he should just be quiet when asked a question? Look how well that turned out for Lewis
Matn
9th October 2016, 9:47
Rather funny….
Hamilton: Damp track didn’t cause poor start
versus
Ricciardo rues starting on damp side after Raikkonen penalty
David Bell
9th October 2016, 10:24
I bet if you showed people those 2 quotes they would swap the drivers around of who said what. Hamilton is labelled the whinger and Dan is the cool guy, people forget that Hamilton holds his hands up when he does something wrong.
Matn
9th October 2016, 11:12
You could be right about that, but it seems this is a weekend is all about excuses…..
Older engines are faster, top speeds are different (1,5 km/h), maybe some drivers are just faster at some given day
sunny stivala
9th October 2016, 19:19
Contrary to what was said by some sites, number 44 had bogged-down because of dump grid slot, It was excessive wheel spin which caused number 44 bad start. But then thanks God it wasn’t a bad clutch again, The Colgate kid start was much better than number 44.
ia
9th October 2016, 13:19
After Silverstone RIC also didn’t understand why he was slower then VES.
Being close behind someone has to do with it, but there is also just a lack of pace.
Maybe it’s hard to accept for RIC that VES might be faster in the same car. Just like last week (when Daniel won) and several other races. Max is master of grip, racing lines and saving tires.
Better exit into the strait gives you higher topspeed on the strait. Today he showed again how good he is at that.
Imagine Max in a Mercedes today.
I believe Stoffel can be of the same caliber.
Mike
9th October 2016, 17:17
+1
Stash (@stash)
9th October 2016, 19:37
“The Red Bull driver reckoned that spoiled his start in the Japanese Grand Prix”. How ’bout letting the man speak for himself. The article then goes on and quotes Ricciardo – “I don’t think my initial launch was that bad, but then having to go around him I sort of crossed the wet patch and lost out to [Sergio] Perez,” said Ricciardo. Don’t quite follow you Keith? Did Ricciardo actually say “I reckon the wet track spoiled my start” word for word? This article does nothing but tarnish the man. We will end up with drivers saying what is politically correct as opposed to how they actually feel. Keep it up Ricciardo. Be real. :-)
Mark
11th October 2016, 4:43
The fat lady hasnt sung yet.