In the next race, Ricciardo will make a return to Barcelona, the circuit where he achieved his first podium in Formula 1 in 2014, for the annual Spanish Grand Prix.
Daniel Ricciardo arrived in Montreal under pressure, as his performance had been weak compared to his teammate at RB, Yuki Tsunoda. Despite facing criticism from former Formula 1 champion Jacques Villeneuve, Ricciardo still showed competitive performance at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, qualifying among the top five.
Despite facing a clutch problem that resulted in a five-second penalty for a jump start violation and the additional challenge of unpredictable weather conditions, Ricciardo managed to secure an eighth-place finish. He expressed relief for having a complete and successful weekend, as he had previously achieved fourth place in the Sprint in Miami but was then eliminated in the first qualifying session.
“This is the first weekend where everything went well from start to finish,” Ricciardo told Speedcafe. “In Miami, half was great and the other half not so much, so it’s satisfying to be competitive throughout the weekend. A race like this is mentally and physically demanding. It’s impossible to expect a flawless race in these conditions, but I feel that despite the challenges, we were able to achieve a positive result.”
Ricciardo revealed that he approached the event with an additional determination, which he believes is crucial for the upcoming races. “I think that extra energy, that feeling of challenge that I brought to the weekend, I need to ensure that it stays and maintain that level of intensity,” he explained. “I’m not sure if I need to get a little angry or just increase my testosterone levels, but I believe it helps me.”
The first points of Ricciardo in the 2024 Grand Prix extended RB’s lead over Haas in the Constructors’ Championship by 21 points. Additionally, his contribution of four points moved him up two positions in the driver’s standings to 12th place, although he is still behind Tsunoda by 10 points.
In the next race, Ricciardo will return to Barcelona, the circuit where he achieved his first podium in Formula 1 in 2014, for the annual Spanish Grand Prix.
