Daniel Ricciardo drew inspiration from his misadventure in 2016
The Australian driver learned the lesson proposed by Professor Hamilton in 2016. This time, it wasn't for the win, but to hope to save his place in F1 next year!
Delay your stop as much as possible.
Here’s what Daniel Ricciardo took away from his defeat against Hamilton in 2016. In conditions that were relatively similar to those experienced this weekend, the Australian driver relied on his experience to avoid an even more catastrophic result.
Indeed, Lewis Hamilton managed to make his wet tires last for as many laps as possible in order to directly switch to the soft tires towards the end of the race, without going through the intermediate step. This is what allowed him to win the race right under the Australian’s nose.
This start of the year is quite complicated for the native of Perth. Prior to the Monaco Grand Prix, the director of McLaren stated that his driver wasn’t living up to the expectations placed on him.
This statement surely must have weighed on the morale of the driver with number 3, to the point that he started the free practice with a violent crash at the swimming pool!
Qualified 14th, Ricciardo finishes his race in 13th position as he managed to delay his pit stop to the maximum, just like Hamilton in 2016.
“I clearly said before the race in these conditions, that’s what I want to do.”
And Ricciardo adds:
« If I were to stop to change intermediates now for two or three laps, I would have lost four positions or more, so we were at the point where we simply had to try and go as far as possible with the slicks.
»
Upon leaving the box to start the race:
Here is the attack in Massenet:
And there, at La Rascasse:
