Aussie Daniel Ricciardo endures Dutch Grand Prix nightmare

Australian Formula 1 star Daniel Ricciardo had a chance to prove Red Bull bosses wrong, but it all went pear-shaped on Sunday.

3 min read

August 25, 2024 - 7:26AM

Ricciardo endured a Dutch Grand Prix nightmare. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)

Daniel Ricciardo endured a nightmare at the Dutch Grand Prix with the Australian driver failing to have any impact.

As his future remains up in the air, the 35-year-old had a chance to prove he belongs on the grid with a big time showing.

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But it wasn’t to be in the first qualifying back after Formula 1’s summer break as the Aussie was eliminated in the opening session.

Ricciardo could have left egg all over the faces of Red Bull bosses who elected to stick with Sergio Perez alongside Max Verstappen.

Perez however flipped the script and secured a fifth placed start on the grid with Ricciardo’s teammate Yuki Tsunoda also out qualifying him.

Ricciardo, meanwhile described it as a ‘s****y session” as he revealed some issues with his RB car on a frustrating afternoon.

“The (qualifying) session didn’t go well but I think yesterday there was some reasons why we weren’t maybe as quick,” Ricciardo said.

“But yeah, s***y session.

“We’re not in a hole or anything, but it’s just frustrating when you want to start the second half of the season on a good note.”

Ricciardo endured a Dutch Grand Prix nightmare. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)

McLaren driver Lando Norris claimed pole position for the race ahead of local favourite Verstappen in a thrilling qualifying session affected by strong gusts.

The British driver registered the fastest lap in one minute 9.673 seconds, ahead of Verstappen’s Red Bull who clocked 1min 10.029sec in windy and damp conditions at the Zandvoort circuit.

“An amazing day. I’m excited for tomorrow but I know it’s going to be tough,” said Norris.

The qualifying battle came down to the wire, as Verstappen sent his orange army of Dutch fans into raptures by claiming the fastest time with less than a minute left.

But Norris stormed back just seconds later to nick the fourth pole position of his career and break the home fans’ hearts.

The starting three for the race. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

“We lacked a bit of pace. I’m still happy to be on the front row. It’s tricky out there with the wind,” said Verstappen.

“I’m happy with second. I think after yesterday, this was a good result.”

Norris’s McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri will start in third place ahead of George Russell from Mercedes in fourth and Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull in fifth.

But there was major disappointment for Russell’s teammate, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who was eliminated after the second round of qualifying, as was Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz.

Hamilton’s day then went from bad to worse as he was hit with a three-place grid penalty for impeding Perez in the first qualifying session, dropping him to 14th on the grid.

And Williams’ endured a troubled Saturday at the seaside too. First Logan Sargeant smashed his car in third practice, then teammate Alex Albon, who had secured eighth place in qualifying, had his time disqualified, relegating him to the rear of Sunday’s grid.

The London-based Thai’s Williams was found to be in breach of the technical regulations with an issue to the floor of his heavily updated car.