Daniel Ricciardo’s race at the Hungarian GP took a turn for the worse, causing quite a stir.
- Early pit call left Ricciardo battling uphill, resulting in a 12th place finish.
- Ricciardo openly expressed his frustration with the VCARB team strategy.
- He highlighted missed opportunities for a stronger finish like his teammate Yuki Tsunoda.
- The dissatisfaction was palpable as Ricciardo sought answers and even an apology from his team.
Daniel Ricciardo’s Hungarian GP was a rollercoaster of emotions, but unfortunately, it ended in disappointment. An early pit call left Ricciardo in a tough spot, ultimately finishing in 12th place, outside the points.
Ricciardo couldn’t hold back his frustration, calling the early pit strategy by VCARB ‘frustrating’. He made it known that he believed the wrong strategy cost him a chance to score points, similar to his teammate Yuki Tsunoda. ‘I’m really trying to bite my tongue, but. You must know how I feel about the first stop,’ he voiced as he parked his car.
The specifics of the race revealed why Ricciardo was so upset. Starting on medium-compound tires, he was surprisingly called into the pits on Lap 8, putting him at a disadvantage. The decision forced him to deal with heavy traffic while his tires wore out quickly.
Ricciardo sharply questioned the timing of his pit stop, explaining how it forced him into a difficult situation. ‘They pitted me when they did at the beginning… we followed the soft [tire-shod] cars in,’ he said. ‘We had a clear track, and we decided to pit behind them, putting ourselves in a DRS train, on the same tire — we’re all on a hard.’
Adding to his frustration, Ricciardo noted the team’s decision deprived them of a better race outcome. ‘We had the pace, and we basically gave Yuki the race that we had in front of us… and we both could have done that,’ he remarked.
The Australian driver further elaborated on his concerns. When asked if he questioned the pit call, he admitted he ‘didn’t have time.’ He explained, ‘It’s a late call — box, box, box — and you pit… as soon as I’m pulling in the pits I’m questioning it.’
Tensions rose even higher as Ricciardo expected an apology from the team after the race but didn’t receive one. ‘Honestly, I was expecting more… I was waiting for,
Ricciardo leaves Hungary frustrated and looking for answers ahead of the next race.
Source: Planetf1
