Daniel Ricciardo Reacts with Surprise to Disappointing P18 Qualifying Result at Spanish GP: ‘I Didn’t Really Have Anything to Say

Daniel Ricciardo reacts to Red Bull’s disappointing 18th place in Spanish qualifying

"I had no comments over the radio because I was genuinely taken aback"

Daniel Ricciardo came to Barcelona feeling positive after a strong performance in Canada, along with enhancements made to his RB car.

However, during the F1 Spanish Grand Prix on Saturday, he secured the 18th position in the qualifying round, with his teammate Yuki Tsunoda finishing one spot ahead in 17th.

He attempted to clarify why his RB was unexpectedly underperforming, even though it had received numerous upgrades.

Ricciardo mentioned that he believes there's still some aspects of the package that need to be understood.

"However, that's definitely something we will continue to work on. On the other hand, I believe that on Friday we were much more unbalanced, while today during qualifying the car felt significantly more cohesive."

"I honestly didn't think the car handled poorly during qualifying. Naturally, there are some turns where it feels like you should be able to go flat out or something, so you realize you might still be lacking a bit of downforce."

"Overall, I felt significantly better compared to Friday. However, despite that improvement, we find ourselves in a similar situation. It seems a bit clearer now, but I'm still uncertain."

"I haven't had a conversation with Yuki yet, but I believe he wasn't too displeased with the car's performance."

"I believe we're simply lacking speed. Typically, using three tire sets in the first qualifying round doesn't ensure a place in the second round, but it does improve the odds significantly. The fact that we still didn't make it indicates that our current setup isn't fast enough. We'll continue to work on it. It's been three consecutive weeks now."

Ricciardo emphasized that the modifications did not alter the car’s configuration.

He mentioned that on Friday, it seemed like they were still struggling somewhat, so they decided to implement more significant adjustments overnight.

"Well, it seems that we haven't fully mastered it yet, and perhaps that's the positive aspect."

"However, I believe we made significant improvements overnight to optimize the car's performance. As a result, it felt better today."

"I felt more at ease and assured, but regrettably, the timing remains unchanged."

Ricciardo stated that managing the changes in aerodynamic balance was crucial to their advancement.

“Yes, I believe that’s true. When you install a new floor, it significantly enhances the car’s performance due to its impact on load distribution and aerodynamic properties,” he elaborated.

"It's about managing that aspect. As I mentioned, I thought we made good progress today, but when Pierre informed me that we were in P18, I was honestly speechless on the radio because it took me by surprise."

"I was aware that we wouldn't be in the tenth position, but I genuinely believed that it would be sufficient to reach the second qualifying round."

Ricciardo is set to compete in the F1 Spanish Grand Prix with just two cars starting behind him.

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