Singapore Grand Prix 2022: Daniel Ricciardo ‘pretty sad’ despite season best result

Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo produced a season-best finish in a waterlogged Singapore Grand Prix but had a sombre take on the result.

Daniel Ricciardo of Australia driving the (3) McLaren

Daniel Ricciardo rounded the final corner at Marina Bay to chants of “Aussie Aussie Aussie” as the departing McLaren driver finished a season-best fifth in a waterlogged Singapore Grand Prix.

Ricciardo and McLaren were left singing of sweet success in Singapore after a stunning points haul was compounded by an awful evening for constructors championship rivals Alpine.

The West Australian met the chequered flag behind teammate Lando Norris in fourth, making it McLaren’s top point scoring performance of the year and his first top-five finish since Saudi Arabia in 2021.

It came as Fernando Alonso’s record 350th Formula 1 race lasted just 22 laps of a rain-soaked Marina Bay Circuit which claimed six drivers including the Spaniard’s Alpine teammate, Esteban Ocon.

In Ricciardo’s first points finish since a ninth at the French Grand Prix, the 33 year old rose 11 places having started 16th on the grid following a Q1 exit in qualifying.

“It’s obviously important I think just for all of us,” Ricciardo told Sky Sports F1.

“Saudi is the last time I had a top-five. (That’s) pretty sad I know but I think for everyone, we needed this. With Lando in fourth it’s a big day for the team.

Lando Norris of Great Britain and McLaren and Daniel Ricciardo

“Finally it’s like everyone can be in good spirits. I’m too tired to party but I think we’ll have a little drink here at the track with the team and celebrate what’s been a good day.

I think we were mature, it didn’t feel right. I think George Russell went on slicks quite early and it was taking him a while to get up to speed. So I was like, ‘Whilst we’re still quicker let’s stay out’. Gasly went in and he was slower so we kind of said, ‘Let’s be patient, let’s stay out’.

“Then of course if a Safety Car comes that’s best case scenario. Yuki was in the barriers and obviously not for him but that was a good situation for us.

“Obviously that’s let’s say good fortune but I think through our maturity we created some of that ourselves and then top five, somehow, someway.

“Saudi 2021 was the last time I had a top five, a year ago. Pretty sad I know.

“But I think for everyone we needed this — Lando’s in fourth, it’s a big day for the team.”

McLaren’s 22 combined points pushed them four points ahead of Alpine in the constructors championship and gave Ricciardo some much-needed good news as he remains without a seat on the grid next year.

“I’ll be straight up with you I’ll take it however I can get it, that’s the year it’s been,” he told reporters.

“You get to a point where obviously I’m still putting a lot in but haven’t got much out (this year). I’m honest with myself and yes we had some luck today but I do think some of it was on merit.

“We needed this and as much as I’m looking forward to Japan, I just want to enjoy this one.”

Norris was heard celebrating Ricciardo’s finish over the team radio and later praised his outgoing teammate’s performance.

“Fair play to him, he has done a great job, we maximised today,” Norris said.

“(We) literally could not have done any better.

“A great weekend – not an easy one. It felt like one of our worst to begin with, but ended up being one of our best of the year.”

FAN FURY OVER RESULTS

Formula 1 fans were left furious after the FIA took two hours to confirm Red Bull’s Sergio Perez had won a soggy Singapore Grand Prix which was already delayed more than an hour due to heavy rain.

The race was called on a two-hour time limit with 59 of the 61 laps completed, after fans and pundits questioned why a 65-minute start delay was required given how quickly the Marina Bay Street Circuit appeared to dry.

When racing began Perez met the chequered flag ahead of Ferrari pair Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz – and celebrated his second win of the season on the podium before being summoned to the stewards’ office to explain two alleged safety car offences.

Sergio Perez of Mexico and Red Bull Racing celebrates finishing in first position

Under true safety car rules the leader must stay within 10 car lengths however Perez was seen to back off the required distance coming into turn 17 as he attempted to warm his tires for the restart.

And on the same section of track he drove to the rear of the safety car and waved for it to move faster – another action which drew questions from the stewards and Ferrari.

A furious Scuderia principal Mattia Binotti told reporters he expected Perez to receive two five-second penalties for the infractions, which would be enough to move Leclerc into first.

When Perez emerged from the meeting he seemed unfazed, telling reporters he did not expect any action from the stewards.

However it took almost two hours for the result to be ratified, with the decision – a five-second penalty to Perez – coming at almost 2am local time.

Ultimately the best driver was awarded victory on a night dominated by safety car interruptions.

Never had a Singapore Grand Prix run without the presence of a safety car and so tradition continued on lap nine when both Nicholas Latifi and Zhou Guanyu were forced to retire.

Fernando Alonso, Esteban Ocon, Alex Albon and Yuki Tsunoda soon joined them on the sidelines with only 14 drivers seeing the chequered flag.

Sergio Perez of Mexico and Oracle Red Bull Racing celebrates on the podium

What was billed as Max Verstappen’s first chance to clinch the world championship title ended with the Dutchman fighting for a points finish following a rollercoaster race for Red Bull’s ace.

Verstappen started eighth on the grid and for the first time this season lost position on the opening lap, dropping as low as 13th before starting his run through the field.

He rose as high as fifth before locking up on lap 40 while challenging Lando Norris and being forced to pit, returning to the race at the back of the field.

Lewis Hamilton also found himself in the wall midway through the race and the two great rivals enjoyed a cat and mouse battle in the unfamiliar lower reaches of the top-10, with Verstappen passing the Mercedes in the final minute to finish seventh.

The reigning world champion’s 2022 coronation will have to wait at least another week, with his incredible mid-season winning streak ended at five by his teammate.

Red Bull principal Christian Horner labelled Perez’s victory his greatest-ever.

“Without a shadow of a doubt it is his best drive,” Horner said.

“In tricky conditions he converted the start … (had) safety cars, virtual safety cars (to deal with) and he didn’t put a foot wrong. He was outstanding today.”

VERSTAPPEN MADE TO WAIT

Championship leader Max Verstappen could not hide his disappointment at finishing seventh after a white-knuckle drive in wet-dry conditions that saw him twice have to claw his way back into the top 10.

The Dutchman blew out the candles on his 25th birthday cake on Friday and had been hoping to celebrate retaining his world championship two days later.

But after being under-fuelled in qualifying, the Red Bull driver started only eighth on the grid.

And after a poor start he was never in with a shout of the win that could have clinched the title had his rivals Leclerc and Perez faltered.

Instead his teammate Perez drove a near-perfect race to lead every lap and hold off a challenge from Ferrari’s Leclerc whose teammate Carlos Sainz was third.

“It’s better than eighth but it’s not what I’m here for, not with a car like that,” lamented Verstappen.

“It was just incredibly messy.” Verstappen got a terrible start to lose five places on the first lap and found himself out of the points in 13th.

“I dropped the clutch and (had) anti-stall, so I need to analyse why that happened,” he explained.

“From there onwards, I tried to pass a few people. Some worked but then you get stuck in a little bit of a train.” After several safety car and virtual safety car periods on the treacherous track, Verstappen cut through the field to fifth before pitting for slick tyres as the surface dried out.

But at the next safety car restart Verstappen locked up trying to overtake Lando Norris and had to seek refuge in an escape road.

“We were in fifth and tried to go to fourth by passing Lando,” said Verstappen. “But as soon as I got alongside him, I braked, not even late, but I bottomed out.

“As soon as I braked, the front wheels jumped in the air and that was it, I just went straight on.” Verstappen was forced to pit again to change his badly flat-spotted tyres and emerged in last place.

“I put new tyres on and had to come from last back into the points,” he said. “It is not where we want to be. It’s just really frustrating.” Verstappen scored six points to see his world championship lead cut to 104 points over Leclerc with five races remaining. Perez is two points further behind.

If Verstappen, who has won 11 of 17 races this season, can extend his lead to 112 points at next Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix he will be crowned back-to-back world champion with four races to spare.

Originally published as Singapore Grand Prix 2022: Daniel Ricciardo ‘pretty sad’ despite season best result