Daniel Ricciardo in motion on the Australian GP (Credit: AFP)
The Western Australian’s quickest lap of Q1 was deleted by stewards for exceeding observe limits at flip 5 and he’ll begin 18th of 19 vehicles on the grid in Sunday’s race.
Daniel Ricciardo’s hopes of a cheerful return to Albert Park after lacking final 12 months’s Australian Grand Prix suffered a serious blow on Saturday because the RB driver did not make it out of the primary session of qualifying.
The Western Australian’s quickest lap of Q1 was deleted by stewards for exceeding observe limits at flip 5 and he’ll begin 18th of 19 vehicles on the grid in Sunday’s race.
The lap, set too late in the session to publish one other, would have put him safely by to Q2.
It was one other crushing second for Ricciardo at his residence grand prix and comes 10 years after he completed runner-up for Red Bull behind Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg solely to be disqualified for a gasoline breach.
“I was certainly all over it trying to keep it on track but obviously trying to find the time that we’ve been struggling to find all weekend,” stated Ricciardo, who was a annoyed reserve driver for Red Bull at Albert Park final 12 months.
“And I felt like the lap was all I had. So that was salt in the wounds.”
Ricciardo has now been outqualified in all three races this season by much less skilled group mate Yuki Tsunoda.
Whoever wins the season-lengthy duel between the pair could possibly be in the working for a coveted racing seat at Red Bull in 2025, with Sergio Perez out of contract subsequent 12 months.
Tsunoda, who certified eighth on Saturday behind Red Bull’s pole-sitter Max Verstappen, undoubtedly has his nostril in entrance.
Home followers will now pin their hopes on McLaren’s Oscar Piastri ending the lengthy wait for an Australian on the rostrum in Melbourne.
Piastri certified sixth, two locations behind group mate Lando Norris, and rued a “messy”, mistake-laden Q3.
The Melbourne man stated he hoped the smooth tyre setup at Albert Park may give them an opportunity of edging their rivals with a very good technique however it could be powerful to get previous the Red Bulls and Ferraris in entrance of him on the grid.
“Mixed feelings,” he stated.
“I feel like there was maybe a little bit more on the table today which is a bit of a shame.”
