Daniel Ricciardo has expressed that he is counting the next two events as “the most important in his career” as he qualified ninth at Formula 1’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
Ricciardo has entered this round in an unusual predicament as his results could either open up a promotion to Red Bull or see him lose his RB seat in 2025 altogether.
The Australian has seemed to excel under the pressure as he translated encouraging times across practice at the Hungaroring into a morale-boosting Q3 appearance.
There was an anxious wait as Ricciardo was situated in the Q1 drop zone during a stoppage with rain imminent, but he delivered a stellar lap to top the opening stage.
However, Ricciardo’s endeavours in the final segment were to be compromised as he opened a lap on new Softs when RB team-mate Yuki Tsunoda shunted at Turn 5.
Ricciardo is convinced that a more optimum run plan through the pole position shootout could’ve seen him at least displace eighth-placed Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin.
“Yeah, I think decent outcome,” Ricciardo reviewed. I definitely feel like we would have had something for the Astons without the red [flag] in Q3.
“Obviously getting like a proper new tyre run.
“I don’t know if we would have got Fernando [Alonso] or not, but I definitely think we would have been in the fight. So yeah, potentially a couple more positions up the grid.
“But it’s been a smooth weekend. It’s been good. We’ve been quick.
“Other than FP1 where I wasn’t really happy, from that point on, we’ve been competitive and confident, the team has been in a good place. So nice to do that.
“And even Q1, we were in the knockout, and I was like: ‘Well, you’ve got one lap…’ And even the drizzle, you’re like ‘Is the track going to be OK?’
“We put in a good lap there and that obviously got everyone excited on the team. It’s been solid.
“I feel like there’s still a little bit left on the table, just with the circumstances, what happened, so I think this is good for us coming into the race tomorrow that we are looking ahead.
“We’re certainly not trying to hang on to these points, we’re going to try and hunt for more.”
Ricciardo has recalled that he understood his last attempt on scrubbed rubber was not going to be spectacular but was worth it to gain a place at Tsunoda’s expense.
“I had set a time on a used, that’s right, and then this one was like a semi-used,” he explained.
“But yeah, obviously cars behind me were trying to go and then I was trying to give enough of a gap to Oscar[Piastri] just to get… I knew the lap wasn’t going to be amazing.
“But to try and get at least another spot up the grid. So yeah, we at least got that.
“That made me feel, I don’t even want to say slightly better, but it was nice to at least start clean side tomorrow. We’ll say that.”
Ricciardo conceded he was grateful to receive extra positions from Tsunoda and Sergio Perez’s crashes, though he cited both were unfortunate in the circumstances.
“Look. we’re pushing, it’s Q3, I’m not making an excuse for Yuki, but that corner you just have no margin,” he said. “So you drop a wheel there and it’s game over. So that was that.
“And then Checo’s, I know that was probably when it was still a little bit damper, and these conditions you’ve got to send it and put it all on the line.
“And small mistakes obviously have big consequences. So there’s a lot of pressure on not only us as Red Bull right now but everyone in that situation.
“So everyone has moments but when you cross the line sometimes you’re just like ‘Thank you’.”
Perez’s second successive Q1 elimination has provided another setback to his hopes of arresting a slump which has seen him amass 15 points in the past six races.
But despite speculation that the Mexican could be dropped mid-season, Ricciardo has insisted that he is fixated on ensuring that he at least retains his place with RB.
Asked what Red Bull had told him over recent times: Ricciardo answered: “I haven’t been told anything, but I’ve told myself if I can do it, go fast.
“You’ve got two races to give it hell. And that’s honestly not even with the idea of moving up, it’s even just trying to lock something in for next year.
“I intentionally came into the weekend telling myself that these two races could be two of the most important of not only my season but potentially my career.
“They haven’t specifically said anything to me but I’ve said enough to myself.”
