McLaren Gamble Wins Best 5th Place Of The Season For Daniel Ricciardo At Singapore Grand Prix
SINGAPORE – Outgoing McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo said he resisted the temptation to be a “hero” in the Singapore Grand Prix, a decision that earned him fifth place, the best result of his career. him in the season.
With the Marina Bay circuit slowly drying out, following monsoon showers during construction, the timing of the transition from medium to flat tire was crucial for the teams and drivers.
Ricciardo started the race in 16th place and struggled to get there early because of the difficult conditions. But his race moved to lap 35 when most of the field pulled the trigger on the tire switch; he and McLaren teammate Lando Norris chose not to follow.
Persevering with the intermediate rubber paid off immediately when a safety car was deployed in the latter – Yuki Tsunoda put her AlphaTauri into the barrier on turn 7. With the speed car at early in the field, Ricciardo was able to make a free stop that saw him jump to sixth.
The Australian will take another spot at the re-start as championship leader Max Verstappen gets locked in and runs deep in an unsuccessful attempt to get past Norris in Round 7.
“We definitely had some assets. But I feel like… in the end,” Ricciardo said after the race, which Red Bull’s Sergio Perez won. “I also think we’ve been patient and mature by not jumping on the wrong foot. It’s fascinating, especially when you’re just out of point, being a hero and trying to do something. that happens.
“But we had conversations and I said, ‘I want to be a hero, it doesn’t feel right.’ We thought, let’s keep going. In my head, I thought the track was great. It’s slippery, especially on a slide, so the chances of someone overtaking are very high, so all we needed was a safe car to pass and we won lots of places. It’s an ideal scenario for us.”
McLaren has arrived in Singapore with an update fitted only to Norris cars. Then Ricciardo joked; “With the upgrade, I think I’ll fight Perez today.”
The results could not have come at a better time for Ricciardo, who is currently without a seat in Formula 1 for 2023 after McLaren reached an agreement to end his three-year contract a year early. They have since announced Oscar Piastri as his replacement for next year.
Despite the uncertainties surrounding his future, Ricciardo insists the pressure has eased and he has nothing to lose in the final five races of the season.
“I’m not fighting for a championship. I don’t have to be cautious or anything,” he said. “I can go out there and drive and have fun… try and get some results.”
