Ricciardo: Anyone could have delivered Hamilton's lap time
Ricciardo: Anyone could have delivered Hamilton's lap time
Daniel Ricciardo says any of Formula 1's leading drivers would have been capable of delivering the record-breaking lap time Lewis Hamilton set during qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix, if they had access to the power in his Mercedes car.
Hamilton smashed the Albert Park record by stopping the watch at one minute and 21.164 seconds in his final flying run to take pole position by over six tenths from Ferrari duo Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel.
Max Verstappen and Ricciardo qualified fourth and fifth-fastest, although the Australian will start the race eighth thanks to a grid penalty.
The world champion's seventh pole in Australia is another record, but came after he, Vettel and Verstappen had been separated by just six hundredths of a second going into the final runs.
Hamilton and Vettel had a tetchy exchange over the Mercedes engine's "party mode" after qualifying and Ricciardo admitted seeing the Silver Arrows so dominant was a "punch in the stomach" for their rivals.
"It's frustrating cause, I'm over it, I think everyone else wants to see them [Mercedes] get challenged a bit more, so that was a little bit of a punch in the stomach to everyone," Ricciardo said.
???????????? 73 @F1 poles and counting for @LewisHamilton!! pic.twitter.com/eI75rVCaO8 — Mercedes-AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) March 24, 2018
"I know that obviously they're loving it, they're in a good position, but everyone else is hating it.
"I didn't expect that much. Particularly, like, from Q2 to Q3. I knew they had a bit more, I expected them to be more than two tenths quicker than us.
"Yeah, that was like throwing a pie in everyone's face. Look, they can do it, they're obviously the ones that are leading, I know it would be nice to be in that position, but for everyone else it sucks."
On Hamilton, Ricciardo added: "I think he's very good - but I think obviously their car and their package is too good.
"It's not to discredit Lewis, not at all. But I think even him at 90 percent with that package that they had today, he still would've got pole.
"So that's where it's like, I feel any of us top guys obviously could've made that happen [in the Mercedes].
"But the buffer they had then was... yeah, a little bit disheartening I guess. But we've got to try and figure it out."
Change your timezone:
Latest News
Horner reveals how Red Bull got 'lucky' despite strong China showing
- 2 minutes ago
Alonso and Taylor Swift rumours reignited by new album lyric
- 47 minutes ago
F1 team lodge FIA PROTEST over Chinese Grand Prix qualifying result
- 1 hour ago
FIA confirm penalty verdict after official PROTEST
- 1 hour ago
F1 star apologises after China Sprint CLASH
- 2 hours ago
Alonso reveals MISTAKE cost him in shock Red Bull battle - Top three verdict
- 3 hours ago
F1 Standings
Drivers
- Oliver Bearman
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
- Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2024
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Australia 2024
- MSC Cruises Grand Prix of Japan 2024
- Grand Prix of China 2024
- Miami Grand Prix 2024
- Gran Premio dell'Emilia Romagna 2024
- Grand Prix of Monaco 2024
- Grand Prix du Canada 2024
- Gran Premio de España 2024
- Grand Prix of Austria 2024
- Grand Prix of Great Britain 2024
- Grand Prix of Hungary 2024
- Grand Prix of Belgium 2024
- Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Italy 2024
- Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2024
- Grand Prix of Singapore 2024
- Grand Prix of the United States 2024
- Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2024
- Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2024
- Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024
- Qatar Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2024
About GPFans
GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.
With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Corporate & Media
Innovatieweg 20C7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860