Penalty "lit fire under my bum" for rest of Russian GP - Daniel Ricciardo

Renault

Penalty "lit fire under my bum" for rest of Russian GP - Ricciardo

Ricciardo finished fitfh in Sochi for Renault

Ian Parkes & Nicolas Quarles van Ufford

Sunday 27 September 2020 18:45

Renault driver Daniel Ricciardo has claimed his five-second penalty in the Russian Grand Prix "lit a fire under my bum" that sparked his superb fifth-place finish.

The Australian was penalised for leaving the track at turn two at Sochi Autodrom and not taking the designated escape route, as had been instructed in the event notes provided by FIA race director Michael Masi.

On lap 25, Ricciardo was allowed past by team-mate Esteban Ocon for eighth place, but missed the braking zone, locked up and ran fractionally wide.

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Reflecting on the incident, Ricciardo explained how he took the penalty in his stride and fired him up to deliver his latest solid result.

"It was actually quite good in hindsight, it lit a bit of a fire under my bum and I just got on with it," confirmed Ricciardo.

"I think that was cool. I was proud to not let it get to me and I think we made a really good race of it after that."

After receiving the punishment, Ricciardo put in consistently quick laps to pull away from Charles Leclerc's Ferrari in sixth, swiftly creating a gap big enough to negate the time penalty.

While taking "full responsibility" for his mistake, he added: "I just locked up and went wide. I was like ‘I’m probably going to get a penalty here’.

"When Karel [Loos, race engineer] told me, I think I had already accepted it in my head and I was like ‘Alright, the only way to eliminate the penalty is to go faster and build a gap to Leclerc behind me’.

"I had to make up that time but we did in the end. I think we were the fifth-best and we got it. I made a little extra work for myself but it was okay.

"The start was great again, off the line the car has been a rocket the last few starts. Lots of positives. Some imperfections at times from me but I think I cleaned myself up okay after the end."

LOVE. THIS.

RENAULT: "You have a five-second penalty for the Turn 2 incident" 🎧

RICCIARDO: "OK. I'll drive faster" 🎧

RENAULT: "Cheers buddy" 🎧#RussianGP 🇷🇺 #F1 pic.twitter.com/o6uHYKP8CD
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 27, 2020