Daniel Ricciardo asserts he was pleased to score “big points” in Singapore last time out amid a difficult Formula 1 season with McLaren.
Ricciardo finished in a season-best fifth place behind team-mate Lando Norris, on a weekend where McLaren managed to capitalise on Alpine’s misfortune.
The race was crucial in McLaren’s favour as it scored a strong haul of points with both drivers in the top five, allowing it to jump Alpine for fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship.
“It’s big because obviously, I’m aware of the championship situation,” Ricciardo said. “The lack of points I’ve been able to get this year has certainly been pretty sad.
“So, to contribute on a day when we certainly needed to with both Alpines retiring, that was big for us. I’m happy to have done my job for sure.”
Ricciardo has endured a difficult season in terms of accumulating points with 71 points separating him and Norris in the Drivers’ Championship.
His previous best result came at the Australian Grand Prix where he finished sixth in front of his home crowd.
“I’m certainly in a position where I would honestly take it any way I could,” Ricciardo continued. “I do feel like we earned a bit chunk of it but I’m not going to apologise for fortune or race situation.
“None of that because I feel like things haven’t always worked out for us this year. So, I’m very happy to just execute a clean race and pick up some points.
“It’s not often you come from 16th to fifth here, so I’ll take it. This and Australia, I had fun in Australia too, it was nice to get a good one at home.”
