Daniel Ricciardo’s hopes of securing his first points finish of the 2023 Formula 1 season were dashed in a frustrating incident at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. The Australian driver was running in a promising position when he was taken out by Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin.
As the race approached its halfway point, Ricciardo was running in 11th place, just outside the points-paying positions. He had been showing strong pace throughout the weekend and was confident of making a move up the order. However, his race came to an abrupt end when Stroll’s car collided with the rear of his Red Bull.
The impact sent Ricciardo’s car spinning into the gravel trap, damaging its diffuser and floor. The Australian was forced to retire from the race, leaving him bitterly disappointed.
“It’s frustrating,” Ricciardo said after the race. “We had a good car today and we were making progress. I was just trying to stay out of trouble and get some points, but it wasn’t to be.”
Stroll was handed a five-second time penalty for the incident, but Ricciardo was not impressed.
“It doesn’t really make up for it,” he said. “I’m just disappointed that we didn’t get to finish the race.”
Ricciardo’s retirement was a major setback for Red Bull, who had been hoping to score points with both cars. The team’s other driver, Max Verstappen, finished the race in second place, but the result was overshadowed by Ricciardo’s misfortune.
