Ricciardo convinces stewards Stroll Styrian GP move was illegal

Daniel Ricciardo says the Formula 1 stewards now 'accept' Lance Stroll's pass on the Australian at the Styrian Grand Prix was illegal.

In the week since the second race of the season, Ricciardo has been critical of the 'no further action' decision from the stewards after a botched move from Stroll forced the Renault driver off the track in the closing stages at the Red Bull Ring.

The move also saw Ricciardo lose a position to Lando Norris and, after meeting with the stewards, he said: “If it happens again today then we swap positions.

“I think after the facts they accepted that they would have done something different. But once Sunday night passes and Monday rolls over, the results are fixed and they can’t go back and switch positions or anything.

“There is a little bit of comfort knowing that wouldn’t stick moving forwards, so I guess we can take that,” he said. “But I just felt like at the time it should have been more clear and more obvious.

“Some of the conversations was also around me going off the track but obviously it wasn’t my choice. I didn’t drive off there for good fun. So we discussed that, they basically admitted they would do it different next time. It doesn’t help me now or a few days ago.”

Stroll's move drew comparisons to the clash between Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc at the same corner in 2019.

In that earlier incident, although it could be argued Verstappen ran the Ferrari driver off the track, he himself remained all four wheels on the circuit.

This time around, Stroll overshot the corner and ran wide himself, completing the pass off the track, and Ricciardo is now satisfied the stewards can see the difference between the two moves.

He added: “I think they’re aware that there’s a difference between that incident and the Leclerc-Verstappen incident last year, and that’s the big one.

“It’s the same corner and it’s still a very different outcome of the incident. So I think that aligns with that now, it’s not the same as first. I think they did feel it was the same, which is why the initial penalty wasn’t given.”

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