This is something Daniel Ricciardo will want to forget.
The Australian limped into the pits in 16th place during Sunday morning’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, which culminated with another flawless Red Bull 1-2 finish.
World champion Max Verstappen finished comfortably clear of teammate Sergio Perez, with Charles Leclerc third and Australian Oscar Piastri fourth.
Ricciardo was never a contender in the race after a dismal qualifying performance on Saturday, which saw him eliminated in Q1.
Follow every practice, qualifying, and race from the 2024 FIA Formula One World Championship™ live. New to Kayo? Begin Your Free Trial Today >
On Sunday, the Visa Cash App driver had a humiliating moment on Lap 49 of 50 when he spun out at a chicane.
The sight of Ricciardo losing control stunned Sky Sports pundits Simon Lazenby and Karun Chandhok, who both concluded that the 34-year-old had been tagged from behind.
However, replays showed Ricciardo simply sliding across the kerb with no reason.
No way Ricciardo just spun on his own 😭 pic.twitter.com/T0pwPkQcTv
— Buc Nasty 🏁 (@premystic) March 9, 2024
It was another setback for Ricciardo’s chances of being promoted to the senior Red Bull team in 2025.
“It’s very odd,” Chandhok added.
“You have to say, in the battle for the Red Bull seat. Perez has done an excellent job. Seven and a half seconds behind Max is a very strong performance, which is exactly what they want. They want him to be ahead of everyone else and simply be available if Max has a problem.”
Lazenby remarked, “Danny Ricciardo has had a frustrating night. He has not been able to leave an impression.
“Lost places at the start and hasn’t really made an impression on this race.”
Ricciardo’s teammate Yuki Tsunoda dropped to 14th.
Meanwhile, Verstappen led from pole to chequered flag, finishing 13.643 seconds ahead of Perez, who held on to second despite a five-second penalty for an unsafe release from a pit stop.
The pair finished 18.6 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Leclerc, whose teammate, British teenager Oliver Bearman, at 18, was the youngest Ferrari driver and third-youngest in F1 ever, finishing seventh to make his points-scoring debut.
Bearman drove with great serenity and aplomb while being monitored by his father David and Carlos Sainz, whose seat he was handed after the Spaniard went into hospital for appendix removal on Friday morning.
Piastri finished fourth for McLaren ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, Mercedes’ George Russell, and Bearman, with two more Britons, Lando Norris and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, finishing eighth and ninth for McLaren and Mercedes, respectively.
Nico Hulkenberg finished tenth for Haas.
Verstappen won for the ninth time in a row, his second of the year in Red Bull’s second one-two finish, and the 100th podium of his career, giving him 56 wins in Formula One.
“It’s one of the more physical races, a tough one,” Verstappen added.
Perez went on to say: “Overall, it is a great day for the team, on a different track to Bahrain, and now we have to keep this momentum going.”
“It was a bit boring because the Red Bulls were too quick,” said Leclerc, who set the quickest lap.
He complimented his surprise new teammate.
“Ollie did an amazing job…” Today, he finished seventh in his maiden race, which is really outstanding. “He is incredibly talented.”
After another day of paddock intrigue, which resulted with Red Bull calming the waters by confirming senior adviser Helmut Marko’s retention, much to Verstappen’s satisfaction, there was a lot of excitement on the grid for the floodlit race.
Bearman was the center of attention and appeared unfazed as he lined up 11th. Pierre Gasly reported a gearbox problem to Alpine before Verstappen took the lead, while Leclerc held off a challenge from Perez, but the Mexican recovered to take second at the start of lap four.
Bearman kept out of trouble as Gasly became the first to retire in 2024.
“You are doing well, really well, but we are quicker than the cars in front,” Ferrari told him in an early shove to begin attacking before Lance Stroll lost control of his Aston Martin at Turn 22, smashing violently into the barriers.
The Safety Car was deployed, and Verstappen pitted for hards, giving Norris the lead. The champion reclaimed second place ahead of Hamilton, who also did not pit.
On the restart, Bearman, who had pitted, made his maiden F1 passing move, lunging inside Yuki Tsunoda for 11th, while Norris pulled a second ahead of Verstappen at the front.
On lap 13, the Dutchman measured up his prey and swept past Norris into Turn One using DRS (Drag Reduction System), regaining the lead, while Perez, who had also pitted, gained third place from Hamilton.
Bearman soon passed Zhou Guanyu for tenth place.
On lap 18, Perez passed Norris to complete a Red Bull one-two, with the champion leading by 5.3 seconds, before Bearman moved up to eighth by passing Hulkenberg’s Haas.
By lap 25, Verstappen had a seven-second lead over Perez, with Norris dueling Leclerc until lap 27.
McLaren pitted Norris with 12 laps left.
He finished eighth, part of a train of four British drivers that included Russell in sixth, Hamilton in ninth, and Bearman and Norris in between.
For the adolescent, running the longest marathon of his life was a test of fitness, nerve, and stamina…. He passed with flying colors.
