Daniel Ricciardo "drove with guilt" in Mexico after Valtteri Bottas clash

Bottas spins during the Mexican Grand Prix — Photo: © LAT Images

McLaren

Ricciardo "drove with guilt" in Mexico after Bottas clash

Ricciardo was not penalised for the incident

Ian Parkes & Ewan Gale

Friday 12 November 2021 11:10

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Daniel Ricciardo has revealed he drove the entire Mexico City Grand Prix with "guilt" and expected a penalty after his collision with Valtteri Bottas but has since absolved himself of any blame.

McLaren is tangled in a close battle for third in the F1 constructors' standings with Ferrari and fell 13.5 points behind leaving Mexico with Ricciardo failing to score after pitting on the first lap to replace his damaged front wing.

The Australian locked up into turn one and made contact with polesitter Bottas who had switched lines across the apex as he himself battled team-mate Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull's Max Verstappen for the lead.

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Ricciardo wasn't penalised for the incident but explained he was expecting punishment during the race.

"My recollection of the start, before seeing the replay, I thought because I hit Valtteri, I knew I'd locked up at some point... If I'd locked up and drifted up and hit him, then I probably would have expected to get a penalty because it's me not being fully in control of the car," said Ricciardo.

"Let's say I drove the race with a little bit of guilt because that was a little bit of the recollection."

Having watched the various replays on offer in the aftermath of the race, Ricciardo was able to relax and release himself from guilt.

"After watching it, I locked up in the straight and had recovered the car by the apex and still got to the kerb," he continued.

"I honestly think it was a racing incident.

"Obviously I was very tight, I went to the inside of Perez, so let's say my angle to take turn one was always going to be tight.

"I think Valtteri coming more from the outside and cutting across, trying to probably cut back to get a better line for two and three, just meant that was kind of the situation we had put ourselves in.

"But not with any intention of...I don't think he probably knew I was on the inside at that time and I couldn't anticipate him coming back.

"So obviously I was part of but the obvious answer is we shouldn't get a penalty. I really truly feel it was a racing incident and it was just the situation of me trying to gain in turn one and him trying to get back to Max and Lewis by taking a better line in turn one to open up two and three."