'Trying and failing': Daniel Ricciardo wants answers after 'desperate' F1 act

Sports Reporter

Fri, 17 July 2020, 4:51 am·3-min read

Australian F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo is pictured during a press conference prior to the Hungarian Grand Prix. — Australian F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo says he will raise the overtake Racing Point driver Lance Stroll completed on his Renault at last weekend's Styrian Grand Prix. (Photo by Laurent Charniaux/Pool via Getty Images)

Daniel Ricciardo continues to fume over the move F1 rival Lance Stroll put on him during the dying stages of last weekend’s Styrian Grand Prix, vowing to bring it up at this weekend’s driver’s briefing.

Ricciardo believes he was forced off the track by a ‘desperate’ Stroll in the dying stages of the race, with the 21-year-old Canadian also going off track, which Ricciardo believes means he should have handed the place back, since he couldn’t complete the pass within the boundaries of the circuit.

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It was a disastrous turn of events for the Australian Renault driver, who dropped from sixth to eighth as a result.

“I have never wanted to have rules so tight it discourages us to race,” Ricciardo said.

“But you know, I don’t want it that we’re driving on eggshells and scared to pull the trigger, but there’s trying and also failing.

“Both of us went off track.

“If I turn in, we crash but he also brought himself off track with us.

He tried a move, which he was completely in his right to do. I left room, which I guess I shouldn’t have.

“But he tried and because we both went off, I see that as a failed attempt, so the position should have been given back.”

Daniel Ricciardo irritated by Lance Stroll overtake

Ricciardo said none of the other drivers believed Stroll’s pass was a clean one, and the move ultimately hurt both drivers, with McLaren’s Lando Norris able to squeeze by both as he charged into fifth place.

The 31-year-old said it was ‘crystal-clear’ that Stroll should have handed the place back.

“For me, I think that’s pretty crystal clear. If he made the corner and squeezed me off, I accept that that is a move,” Ricciardo said.

“But to take both of us off, I don’t see how that works in any situation.

“We’ll talk about it in the drivers briefing and see everyone’s opinion, what they say. I can’t see any drivers saying, ‘That’s a clean move, that’s how it’s going to work’, because it never adds up like that.”

Ricciardo said he had no doubt Stroll did not intend to take him off the track deliberately, but said weighing up the likely success of any move was a key part of racing.

Racing Point driver Lance Stroll is pictured during a portrait session. — Racing Point driver Lance Stroll believes his overtake on Daniel Ricciardo was acceptable. (Photo by Charles Coates/Getty Images)

“Obviously he kept his foot into it, and said, ‘Alright, if I get penalty, OK, if I don’t I’ll claim a move’. I don’t think it is necessarily something to discuss with a driver, as in, ‘That was a dirty move, what were you thinking?’ Ricciardo said.

“It’s more that this needs to be spoken to as a group with us drivers and stewards together to try and educate everyone as to what is right and wrong.

“But I don’t expect Lance for example to go and do it this weekend and think he’s going to get away with it every time. That’s why we need to talk probably Friday in the drivers’ briefing.”