![]() ![]() Hopes of a brighter 2022 under new aerodynamic regulations never materialised, however, with McLaren taking the decision to axe Ricciardo with a year remaining on a three-year contract. The Australian bagged McLaren's first victory since 2012 at the Italian Grand Prix with a commanding drive, proving the talent was there to be unlocked once more. Seven top-five finishes, including two podiums at the Eifel and Emilia Romagna Grands Prix, earned Ricciardo fifth in the drivers' standings in one of the most hotly contested midfield battles in modern F1.ĭespite a slow start to life at McLaren, Ricciardo found his feet as the year progressed to at least challenge team-mate Norris through the second half of the year. The highlight of 2019 was a fourth at the Italian Grand Prix, but ninth in the drivers' standings with just 54 points was not what he was hoping for after the switch from Red Bull.Ģ020 was, however, a different story. Four retirements were compounded by a disqualification in Japan after finishing sixth. Whilst the switch to Renault provided a fresh start for Ricciardo, the manufacturer's power unit issues gave the same results. ![]() A perceived bias towards Verstappen within the team reared an ugly head at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in 2018, where the two collided, leading Ricciardo to jump ship at the end of the year. A single victory and seven podiums sufficed for Ricciardo to return to his 'best of the rest' standing behind the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton.Ī victory in each of the next two seasons kept his tally rolling, but there was trouble in paradise. Eighth in the standings was a clear step backward.Īnother new team-mate arrived just five rounds into the 2016 season as Max Verstappen replaced Kvyat in the second seat. Two more victories in Hungary and Belgium boosted Ricciardo to third in the standings, ahead of four-time champion team-mate Sebastian Vettel who left the team at the end of the season.įor 2015, Ricciardo became team leader alongside Daniil Kvyat, but a difficult season yielded just two podium finishes as Red Bull and Renault continued to struggle to adapt to the turbo-Hybrid era. After taking a superb second place in front of his home crowd, he was disqualified for a fuel-flow infringement.Ī retirement followed in Malaysia, but three consecutive third-place finishes sparked his season into life before Ricciardo took advantage of issues for both dominant Mercedes at the Canadian Grand Prix to take a sensational maiden F1 victory. Ricciardo's first race with the parent team couldn't have gone much better, or so he initially thought. His performances across his two seasons with Toro Rosso were enough for him to be chosen to replace fellow countryman Mark Webber at Red Bull following his retirement. His tally doubled in 2013, highlighted by two seventh-place finishes at the Chinese and Italian Grands Prix. An impressive qualifying performance in Bahrain, where he finished sixth before dropping back on race day, caught the eye, while his only retirement was at Monaco on the way to finishing the season in 18th with 10 points. Points followed on his debut for the team, with a last-lap overtake on teammate Jean-Eric Vergne at the Australian Grand Prix enough to earn him ninth and his first two points in F1. Results never set the world alight with the slowest car on the grid, but his progress was enough to get the call up to Toro Rosso for 2012. Daniel Ricciardo made his Formula 1 debut with the back-of-the-grid HRT team in 2011, replacing Narain Karthikeyan at the British Grand Prix as Red Bull, with which he was a test and reserve driver, looked for the Australian to gain experience.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |