Ricciardo furious as RB didn't apologize for a strategy
Ricciardo's anger boils over post-Hungarian GP as RB didn't apologize for strategy blunder.
BUDAPEST, Hungary -- Daniel Ricciardo's frustration with his team RB boiled over post-race at the Hungarian Grand Prix, as he awaited an apology for a questionable strategy call that never came.
Ricciardo showcased a stellar qualifying performance on Saturday, but after starting ninth on the grid, he ended up finishing outside the points in 12th place.
The Australian driver was brought into the pits on lap seven, seemingly following the actions of other rivals making early stops. This decision, however, resulted in Ricciardo being stuck in a queue of cars on nearly identical strategies for the remainder of the race.
Adding to Ricciardo's exasperation was the success of his RB teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, who did not pit until lap 27 and managed to secure a ninth-place finish.
When questioned about his disappointment, Ricciardo said:
"Massively. Why they pitted me when they did at the beginning was ... we followed the set of cars in -- they've just come in, we have a clear track, and we decided to pit behind them and put ourselves in a DRS train.
"And it's like ... then on the same tyre, all on a hard, so ... that was, I mean, well, I've had a lot of races, and I've had a lot of frustrating ones. But that's up there. Because we had the pace and we basically gave Yuki the race that we had in front of us. And we both could have done that. And we didn't."
Ricciardo's frustration came to a head on his in-lap to the pits as he awaited an acknowledgement or apology from his team regarding the strategy decision.
"I didn't have time [to question the call]. It's a late call, 'box box box' and you pit. But honestly, as soon as I'm pulling in the pits ... I'm questioning. You know, you get called in Turn 13 - and you have to react.
"Two cars jumped us at the start with a soft tyre. That's fine, let them go. They pit -- and we follow them. To then just be on their strategy. It's ... We would have had clear air and a chance to, I think, [have] Yuki's race. I honestly, I was expecting more. On the in lap I was waiting for, 'Sorry. We f----d up.' And I didn't get it. So, that made me even more angry."
The incident comes at a crucial time for Ricciardo, who has yet to secure a contract extension with RB for the 2025 season. He had earlier emphasized the significance of performing well in both the Hungarian and Belgian Grand Prix, labeling them as two of the most important races of his career.
Addressing whether this added to his frustration, Ricciardo remarked:
"Yes, definitely. And then, like Stroll's catching me a second lap and maybe more and they're saying, you know, it's really important to keep him behind and what do you want me to do? You pitted me so early. I'm on older tyres. I'm also being expected to fight when we're not really in a fight anymore.
"So, that was also frustrating, you know, it's like, there were times where I just felt like we ... the bed was made. Frustrated."
As the championship battle intensifies, the lack of an apology and the ongoing contract uncertainty could have potential repercussions for Ricciardo and RB in the races to come.
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