Daniel Ricciardo explains bizarre start incident which cost him front wing

Daniel Ricciardo

Ricciardo explains bizarre start incident which cost him front wing

Not a great Renault debut for Dan.

Matthew Scott

Sunday 17 March 2019 10:01

Daniel Ricciardo said an unsighted trip over a "massive gutter" cost him his front wing in a dismal start to the Australian Grand Prix, which caused sufficient damage to see him retire from his home race on his debut for Renault.

Ricciardo's race was wrecked within a few metres of the start line as he ran onto the grass while trying to overtake Racing Point's Sergio Perez.

Having hit a strip of concrete, Ricciardo's car shed its front wing and sustained damage to its right sidepod, which was ultimately enough to force his retirement later on in the race.

Article continues under video

"I feel that was pretty unlucky," he said. "I just put two wheels in [the grass] and the next thing there's a massive gutter there, or gutter ditch, which I don't feel is on many other places.

VIDEO: Ricciardo loses front wing at Australia start!Read more

"Sergio's start wasn't great. I had a bit of a run. He made a little flinch, but when it happens that quick, you see him move, so I moved, then he straightened up, and the next thing I'm on the grass.

"But you never know how much he's going to move. Because he was still in front at the time, you just follow his initial reaction.

"That second one just put my wheel in the grass. When I hit the grass, I wasn't actually too concerned. I thought I'd just drive through it and I thought I had enough momentum to stay alongside him.

"But obviously that ditch was there, and that was it."

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