Daniel Ricciardo has hit back at Jacques Villeneuve after the 1997 Formula 1 champion slammed the Australian for still having a spot on the grid. After Ricciardo earned P5 in the Canadian Grand Prix qualifying session on Saturday (Jun 8), the Visa Cash App RB driver did not hold back and gave it fair and square to Villeneuve.

Daniel Ricciardo has hit back at Jacques Villeneuve after the 1997 Formula 1 champion slammed the Australian for still having a spot on the grid. After Ricciardo earned P5 in the Canadian Grand Prix qualifying session on Saturday (Jun 8), the Visa Cash App RB driver did not hold back and gave it fair and square to Villeneuve. Ricciardo said Villeneuve always talked a lot and that he 'won't give him the time of day', especially when he had locked a top grid position. "I still don't know what he said, but I heard he's been talking but he always does. I think he's hit his head a few too many times. I don't know if he plays ice hockey or something," Ricciardo told the media. "I won't give him the time of day. Top five. I've been quick all weekend. Less than two-tenths from pole. So, eat sh*t," he added. Also read | 'I prefer...': Ferrari's Frederic Vasseur reflects on Hamilton and Leclerc's F1 partnership from 2025 Villeneuv's rant Prior to the qualifying session, Villeneuve had went all out against Ricciardo in an amusing rant that went viral on social media. Villeneuve said Ricciardo had not achieved anything substantial in the sport and that his best seasons came against a past-prime Sebastian Vettel and a young Max Verstappen still finding his footing in the sport. "Why's he still in F1? Why? We are hearing the same thing now for the last four or five years," Villeneuve, 53, told SkySports. "'We have to make the car better for him'. Sorry, it's been five years of that. No, you are in F1. Maybe you make that effort for Lewis Hamilton who has won multiple championships. You don't make that effort for a driver that can't cut it," he added. Villeneuve signed off saying Ricciardo's PR value had still kept him in the sport. "You talk about those first two seasons, he was beating a (Sebastian) Vettel that was burnt out and trying to invent things. Then he was beating for half a season an 18-year-old (Max) Verstappen. He stopped beating anyone after that. I think his image has kept him in F1 more than his actual results." Ricciardo, 34, made his debut in F1 in 2011 and immediately impressed with his clever handling of the car. He won his first race in Canada in the 2014 season and finished third in the overall standings at the end of the campaign. However, the 'Honey Badger' as he is nicknamed, is currently struggling and fighting for his career in the sport. Despite having an impressive 32 race podiums on his resume, Ricciardo has underperformed this season, with teammate Yuki Tsunoda finishing ahead of him in all but one race. Ricciardo's last race win came at Monza when he was still with McLaren in 2021. (With inputs from agencies)

Formula 1: 'Eat s**t!' Daniel Ricciardo hits back at Jacques Villeneuve over criticism

New Zealander Liam Lawson will continue to race for AlphaTauri until Australian Daniel Ricciardo is fit to return, the Red Bull-owned&nbsp;Formula&nbsp;One&nbsp;team said on Monday. Ricciardo had surgery in Spain on Sunday after breaking his left hand in a crash in practice at the Dutch Grand Prix on Friday, with reserve driver Lawson drafted in for his&nbsp;Formula&nbsp;One&nbsp;race debut.

The next race, round 14, is the Italian Grand Prix at Monza on Sunday. Singapore follows on Sept. 17 and Japan on Sept. 24. "We are delighted that Daniel’s surgery went well and that he is now on the road to recovery," AlphaTauri said in a statement. "We hope to see him at the track again very soon, but until he is fully fit, we can confirm that Liam, who did a good job in difficult circumstances in Zandvoort, will continue to drive alongside Yuki (Tsunoda), starting from our home race this weekend in Monza." Lawson, 21, finished 13th in the Dutch Grand Prix, with Tsunoda 16th.

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<h2>APPLAUSE CONTINUE FOR SUPERSTAR MAX VERSTAPPEN</h2>

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner hailed Max Verstappen as "simply untouchable" after he secured a record-equalling ninth win in a row on Sunday and even his closest rivals were inclined to agree. Spaniard Fernando Alonso, who finished second for Aston Martin at Zandvoort in a race that went from dry to wet and back again, said the 25-year-old Dutch driver was operating on a higher level.

"It is underestimated sometimes what Max is achieving," Alonso, also a double&nbsp;Formula&nbsp;One&nbsp;world champion but whose 32nd and last win was with Ferrari in 2013, told reporters. "I think you need to enter in a mood, in a state that you are connected with a car.

"Today, I felt that I was at my best and have been giving 100% of what I felt and my abilities on a racing car, but maybe in Spa I was not at that level or in Austria or something like that. "I think Max is achieving that 100% more often than us at the moment, than any of the drivers, so that's why he's dominating."

Verstappen has won 11 of the season's 13 races, 20 of the last 24, and the only lingering doubt about his third world championship is where he will secure it and with how many rounds to spare.

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New Zealander Liam Lawson will continue to race for AlphaTauri until Australian Daniel Ricciardo is fit to return, the Red Bull-owned Formula One team said on Monday.

New Zealander Liam Lawson will continue to race for AlphaTauri until Australian Daniel Ricciardo is fit to return, the Red Bull-owned Formula One team said on Monday. Ricciardo had surgery in Spain on Sunday after breaking his left hand in a crash in practice at the Dutch Grand Prix on Friday, with reserve driver Lawson drafted in for his Formula One race debut. The next race, round 14, is the Italian Grand Prix at Monza on Sunday. Singapore follows on Sept. 17 and Japan on Sept. 24. "We are delighted that Daniel’s surgery went well and that he is now on the road to recovery," AlphaTauri said in a statement. "We hope to see him at the track again very soon, but until he is fully fit, we can confirm that Liam, who did a good job in difficult circumstances in Zandvoort, will continue to drive alongside Yuki (Tsunoda), starting from our home race this weekend in Monza." Lawson, 21, finished 13th in the Dutch Grand Prix, with Tsunoda 16th. Also read: 'No guarantee...': Kaif concerned over KL Rahul's fitness as India batter set to miss Kandy leg of Asia Cup APPLAUSE CONTINUE FOR SUPERSTAR MAX VERSTAPPEN Red Bull team boss Christian Horner hailed Max Verstappen as "simply untouchable" after he secured a record-equalling ninth win in a row on Sunday and even his closest rivals were inclined to agree. Spaniard Fernando Alonso, who finished second for Aston Martin at Zandvoort in a race that went from dry to wet and back again, said the 25-year-old Dutch driver was operating on a higher level. "It is underestimated sometimes what Max is achieving," Alonso, also a double Formula One world champion but whose 32nd and last win was with Ferrari in 2013, told reporters. "I think you need to enter in a mood, in a state that you are connected with a car. "Today, I felt that I was at my best and have been giving 100% of what I felt and my abilities on a racing car, but maybe in Spa I was not at that level or in Austria or something like that. "I think Max is achieving that 100% more often than us at the moment, than any of the drivers, so that's why he's dominating." Verstappen has won 11 of the season's 13 races, 20 of the last 24, and the only lingering doubt about his third world championship is where he will secure it and with how many rounds to spare. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Formula One: New Zealander Liam Lawson to race for AlphaTauri until Daniel Ricciardo can return

Daniel Ricciardo hopes to replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull once the Mexican's contract ends, team boss Christian Horner said on Tuesday. The 34-year-old Australian will be starting his&nbsp;Formula&nbsp;One&nbsp;comeback with Red Bull-owned AlphaTauri in Hungary this weekend after leaving McLaren last season and serving as Red Bull reserve. Ricciardo raced for Red Bull Racing from 2014-18, taking seven of his eight wins with the British-based team. Perez, who joined in 2021, has a contract to the end of 2024.

"He (Ricciardo) firmly wants to be pitching for that 2025 Red Bull seat. That's his goal and objective. By going to AlphaTauri I think he sees that as his best route for stating his case for 2025," Horner told&nbsp;Formula&nbsp;One's F1 Nation podcast. Ricciardo has replaced under-performing Dutch rookie Nyck de Vries, who failed to score a point this year, at bottom-placed AlphaTauri with 12 of the season's 22 races remaining.

"At the moment, there's only something in place until the end of the season, so there are no thoughts or expectations beyond that," said Horner. "We've loaned him to AlphaTauri until the end of the year. Obviously, our drivers are going to be Max (Verstappen) and Checo (Perez) again next year, but it's always good to have talent in reserve."

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Red Bull have dominated the season, winning every race, but Verstappen is a hefty 99 points clear of Perez after winning eight of the 10. The Mexican's form has led to speculation that he too might not see out the full term of his contract.

Last week's axeing of De Vries was seen as particularly harsh since it came before the Dutch driver had a chance to race in his home race at Zandvoort in August but Horner said delaying the decision made no sense. He revealed also that the firing came about 11 laps into Ricciardo's impressive tyre test for Pirelli after the British Grand Prix.

"That would have meant obviously leaving him in the car until after the summer break," he said. "I think the situation was clear. It was a question of OK, what's the point in waiting? "If we've got to do something, we might as well get on with it and give Daniel 12 races to see what he's capable of."

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Daniel Ricciardo hopes to replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull once the Mexican's contract ends, team boss Christian Horner said on Tuesday. The 34-year-old Australian will be starting his Formula One comeback with Red Bull-owned AlphaTauri in Hungary this weekend after leaving McLaren last season and serving as Red Bull reserve.

Daniel Ricciardo hopes to replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull once the Mexican's contract ends, team boss Christian Horner said on Tuesday. The 34-year-old Australian will be starting his Formula One comeback with Red Bull-owned AlphaTauri in Hungary this weekend after leaving McLaren last season and serving as Red Bull reserve. Ricciardo raced for Red Bull Racing from 2014-18, taking seven of his eight wins with the British-based team. Perez, who joined in 2021, has a contract to the end of 2024. "He (Ricciardo) firmly wants to be pitching for that 2025 Red Bull seat. That's his goal and objective. By going to AlphaTauri I think he sees that as his best route for stating his case for 2025," Horner told Formula One's F1 Nation podcast. Ricciardo has replaced under-performing Dutch rookie Nyck de Vries, who failed to score a point this year, at bottom-placed AlphaTauri with 12 of the season's 22 races remaining. "At the moment, there's only something in place until the end of the season, so there are no thoughts or expectations beyond that," said Horner. "We've loaned him to AlphaTauri until the end of the year. Obviously, our drivers are going to be Max (Verstappen) and Checo (Perez) again next year, but it's always good to have talent in reserve." Also read: Tour de France: Jonas Vingegaard dominates Tadej Pogacar in close duel Red Bull have dominated the season, winning every race, but Verstappen is a hefty 99 points clear of Perez after winning eight of the 10. The Mexican's form has led to speculation that he too might not see out the full term of his contract. Last week's axeing of De Vries was seen as particularly harsh since it came before the Dutch driver had a chance to race in his home race at Zandvoort in August but Horner said delaying the decision made no sense. He revealed also that the firing came about 11 laps into Ricciardo's impressive tyre test for Pirelli after the British Grand Prix. "That would have meant obviously leaving him in the car until after the summer break," he said. "I think the situation was clear. It was a question of OK, what's the point in waiting? "If we've got to do something, we might as well get on with it and give Daniel 12 races to see what he's capable of." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Formula One: Daniel Ricciardo out to replace Sergio Perez for 2025, says Red Bull boss Christian Horner

Daniel Ricciardo is back in Formula One. The driver, however, will race for AlphaTauri as a replacement for Nyck de Vries for the rest of the season. Ricciardo is associated with Red Bull Racing and and will join AlphaTauri on loan.

The news was confirmed on Tuesday and Red Bull boss Christian Horner said: "It is great to see Daniel hasn't lost any form while away from racing and that the strides he has been making in his sim sessions translate on track. His times during the tyre test were extremely competitive. It was a very impressive drive, and we are excited to see what the rest of the season brings for Daniel on loan at Scuderia AlphaTauri."

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Welcoming him to the team, Team Principal Franz Tost said, "I’m very pleased to welcome Daniel back into the team."

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Daniel is back! 👊<a href="https://twitter.com/danielricciardo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@danielricciardo</a>, on loan from <a href="https://twitter.com/redbullracing?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@redbullracing</a>, will be racing for us for the remainder of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F1</a> season, starting from the Hungarian GP. 
 
Read more 👇
— Scuderia AlphaTauri (@AlphaTauriF1) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlphaTauriF1/status/1678776026879651842?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2023</a></blockquote>
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"There’s no doubt about his driving skills, and he already knows many of us, so his integration will be easy and straight forward. The team will also profit a lot from his experience, as he is an eight-time Formula 1 Grand Prix winner. I would like to thank Nyck for his valuable contribution during his time with Scuderia AlphaTauri and I wish him all the best for the future.”

In August last year, the eight-time racer had announced that he'll not be competing in the 2023 season for which he had joined Red Bull Racing as the third driver.

Speaking on his inclusion, Ricciardo said, "I’m stoked to be back on track with the Red Bull family!"

Ricciardo, last month, had told ESPN in a chat that he would like to end his career with a return to Red Bull Racing - a team he had quit in 2018. Overall, the Australian has 32 podium finishes and eight wins in his career in 232 starts.

A stint with AlphaTauri could certainly pave the way for Ricciardo to be one of the two drivers for Red Bull, especially with Sergio Perez struggling behind runway season leader Max Verstappen.

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Daniel Ricciardo is back in Formula One. The driver, however, will race for AlphaTauri as a replacement for Nyck de Vries for the rest of the season. Ricciardo is associated with Red Bull Racing and and will join AlphaTauri on loan.

Daniel Ricciardo is back in Formula One. The driver, however, will race for AlphaTauri as a replacement for Nyck de Vries for the rest of the season. Ricciardo is associated with Red Bull Racing and and will join AlphaTauri on loan. The news was confirmed on Tuesday and Red Bull boss Christian Horner said: "It is great to see Daniel hasn't lost any form while away from racing and that the strides he has been making in his sim sessions translate on track. His times during the tyre test were extremely competitive. It was a very impressive drive, and we are excited to see what the rest of the season brings for Daniel on loan at Scuderia AlphaTauri." Also Read: NBA: Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving signs five-year shoe deal with Chinese brand ANTA Welcoming him to the team, Team Principal Franz Tost said, "I’m very pleased to welcome Daniel back into the team." Daniel is back! 👊@danielricciardo, on loan from @redbullracing, will be racing for us for the remainder of the #F1 season, starting from the Hungarian GP. Read more 👇 — Scuderia AlphaTauri (@AlphaTauriF1) July 11, 2023 × "There’s no doubt about his driving skills, and he already knows many of us, so his integration will be easy and straight forward. The team will also profit a lot from his experience, as he is an eight-time Formula 1 Grand Prix winner. I would like to thank Nyck for his valuable contribution during his time with Scuderia AlphaTauri and I wish him all the best for the future.” In August last year, the eight-time racer had announced that he'll not be competing in the 2023 season for which he had joined Red Bull Racing as the third driver. Speaking on his inclusion, Ricciardo said, "I’m stoked to be back on track with the Red Bull family!" Ricciardo, last month, had told ESPN in a chat that he would like to end his career with a return to Red Bull Racing - a team he had quit in 2018. Overall, the Australian has 32 podium finishes and eight wins in his career in 232 starts. A stint with AlphaTauri could certainly pave the way for Ricciardo to be one of the two drivers for Red Bull, especially with Sergio Perez struggling behind runway season leader Max Verstappen. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Formula One: Daniel Ricciardo replaces Nyck de Vries in AlphaTauri, to compete at Hungarian Grand Prix

Daniel Ricciardo and McLaren will split at the end of the Formula One season after a buyout was negotiated with the Australian on the final year of his contract. Ricciardo held the option on 2023 for his seat at McLaren but his performance has been underwhelming through 35 races. Although he did score McLaren's first Formula One victory since 2012 with a win last September at Monza, Ricciardo has been outperformed by teammate Lando Norris nearly every race weekend.

The 33-year-old Ricciardo has just one podium with McLaren and only 19 points this season. Norris has one podium this season and 76 points. It's been a privilege to be a part of the McLaren Racing family for the last two seasons," Ricciardo said in a statement on Wednesday, adding he'd been in talks about his future with McLaren for several months" before reaching a mutual agreement to end the deal a year early.

"I'll be announcing my own future plans in due course but regardless of what this next chapter brings, I have no regrets and am proud of the effort and work I gave McLaren, especially the win in Monza, last season,&nbsp;Ricciardo added. "I've never been more motivated to compete and be a part of a sport that I love so much and look forward to what comes next.

McLaren head Zak Brown in May acknowledged that Ricciardo's seat was shaky and said there were mechanisms&nbsp;in which the driver and team could split ahead of the 2023 season. The mechanism turned out to be a buyout since Ricciardo held the option on next season. Although initial reports suggested Ricciardo was seeking more than $20 million to exit the team early, it is believed McLaren paid $15 million to end the contract.

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McLaren is widely believed to have signed F2 champion Oscar Piastri, also an Australian, for Ricciardo's seat. No announcement has been made by McLaren, but Piastri has declined a promotion to F1 with Alpine. 
Daniel has been a great addition to McLaren, and it's been a pleasure working with him," said Brown. It's no secret that we hoped we could achieve more together but seeing him stand on the top step of the podium as a McLaren driver was a highlight.

Following the Monza victory, Brown and Ricciardo visited a tattoo parlor in Texas so that Brown could commemorate the win with a permanent inking of the Monza circuit on his arm. He also rewarded Ricciardo by allowing him to drive the late Dale Earnhardt's iconic No. 3 Chevrolet stock car in a demonstration at Circuit of the Americas. Brown owns the car and Ricciardo idolized Earnhardt as a child. McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl thanked Ricciardo for his dedication and contribution? since joining the team.

Despite the shared challenges, he has always turned up with a fighting spirit and positivity and helped the entire team to always keep pushing forward,&nbsp;Seidl said. "We will never forget that memorable race win in Monza which was a great boost for the whole team. We still have an important battle in the constructors' championship ahead of us for the remainder of the season and we look forward to battle this out with Daniel and Lando.

Norris and Ricciardo helped McLaren to a fourth-place finish in the constructors championship last season. 
Ricciardo, one of the most popular drivers in F1, is in his 12th season and has eight career victories.

Daniel Ricciardo and McLaren will split at the end of the Formula One season after a buyout was negotiated with the Australian on the final year of his contract.

Daniel Ricciardo and McLaren will split at the end of the Formula One season after a buyout was negotiated with the Australian on the final year of his contract. Ricciardo held the option on 2023 for his seat at McLaren but his performance has been underwhelming through 35 races. Although he did score McLaren's first Formula One victory since 2012 with a win last September at Monza, Ricciardo has been outperformed by teammate Lando Norris nearly every race weekend. The 33-year-old Ricciardo has just one podium with McLaren and only 19 points this season. Norris has one podium this season and 76 points. It's been a privilege to be a part of the McLaren Racing family for the last two seasons," Ricciardo said in a statement on Wednesday, adding he'd been in talks about his future with McLaren for several months" before reaching a mutual agreement to end the deal a year early. "I'll be announcing my own future plans in due course but regardless of what this next chapter brings, I have no regrets and am proud of the effort and work I gave McLaren, especially the win in Monza, last season, Ricciardo added. "I've never been more motivated to compete and be a part of a sport that I love so much and look forward to what comes next. McLaren head Zak Brown in May acknowledged that Ricciardo's seat was shaky and said there were mechanisms in which the driver and team could split ahead of the 2023 season. The mechanism turned out to be a buyout since Ricciardo held the option on next season. Although initial reports suggested Ricciardo was seeking more than $20 million to exit the team early, it is believed McLaren paid $15 million to end the contract. ALSO READ | England midfielder and Euro 2022 winner Jill Scott announces retirement from football McLaren is widely believed to have signed F2 champion Oscar Piastri, also an Australian, for Ricciardo's seat. No announcement has been made by McLaren, but Piastri has declined a promotion to F1 with Alpine. Daniel has been a great addition to McLaren, and it's been a pleasure working with him," said Brown. It's no secret that we hoped we could achieve more together but seeing him stand on the top step of the podium as a McLaren driver was a highlight. Following the Monza victory, Brown and Ricciardo visited a tattoo parlor in Texas so that Brown could commemorate the win with a permanent inking of the Monza circuit on his arm. He also rewarded Ricciardo by allowing him to drive the late Dale Earnhardt's iconic No. 3 Chevrolet stock car in a demonstration at Circuit of the Americas. Brown owns the car and Ricciardo idolized Earnhardt as a child. McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl thanked Ricciardo for his dedication and contribution? since joining the team. Despite the shared challenges, he has always turned up with a fighting spirit and positivity and helped the entire team to always keep pushing forward, Seidl said. "We will never forget that memorable race win in Monza which was a great boost for the whole team. We still have an important battle in the constructors' championship ahead of us for the remainder of the season and we look forward to battle this out with Daniel and Lando. Norris and Ricciardo helped McLaren to a fourth-place finish in the constructors championship last season. Ricciardo, one of the most popular drivers in F1, is in his 12th season and has eight career victories.

Daniel Ricciardo and McLaren to part ways ahead of 2023 after buyout

Daniel Ricciardo will be fit for Sunday's season-opening Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix after recovering from COVID-19, his McLaren team said on Wednesday.

The 32-year-old Australian tested positive last week and was unable to participate in three days of pre-season testing in the Gulf kingdom.

"Daniel has now returned a number of negative tests and will therefore return to the paddock on Thursday ready to compete in this weekend's Bahrain GP," McLaren said.

"Daniel has been feeling better each day as he continued to recover while in isolation following local regulations in Bahrain."

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Rivals Alpine had offered McLaren their Australian reserve driver Oscar Piastri as a stand-in should Ricciardo have been unable to race.

Practice for the opening race at Sakhir is on Friday and Ricciardo will go into it without having driven the car since Barcelona on Feb. 24.

Bahrain is something of a home race for McLaren, with the team majority owned by the Gulf kingdom's sovereign investment fund Mumtalakat.

Ricciardo finished seventh last year with teammate Lando Norris fourth.

Daniel Ricciardo will be fit for Sunday's season-opening Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix after recovering from COVID-19, his McLaren team said on Wednesday. The 32-year-old Australian tested positive last week and was unable to participate in three days of pre-season testing in the Gulf kingdom.

Daniel Ricciardo will be fit for Sunday's season-opening Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix after recovering from COVID-19, his McLaren team said on Wednesday. The 32-year-old Australian tested positive last week and was unable to participate in three days of pre-season testing in the Gulf kingdom. "Daniel has now returned a number of negative tests and will therefore return to the paddock on Thursday ready to compete in this weekend's Bahrain GP," McLaren said. "Daniel has been feeling better each day as he continued to recover while in isolation following local regulations in Bahrain." ALSO READ: Indian Wells: Defending champion Paula Badosa beats Leylah Fernandez; Iga Swiatek, Simona Halep enter quarters Rivals Alpine had offered McLaren their Australian reserve driver Oscar Piastri as a stand-in should Ricciardo have been unable to race. Practice for the opening race at Sakhir is on Friday and Ricciardo will go into it without having driven the car since Barcelona on Feb. 24. Bahrain is something of a home race for McLaren, with the team majority owned by the Gulf kingdom's sovereign investment fund Mumtalakat. Ricciardo finished seventh last year with teammate Lando Norris fourth.

McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo fit to take part in Bahrain Grand Prix after negative COVID tests

Daniel Ricciardo has tested positive for COVID-19, but is set to complete his isolation in time for Formula 1's 2022 season-opening race in Bahrain.

The McLaren driver felt unwell on Wednesday, the day before running at the Bahrain International Circuit began, and initially returned negative tests.

However on Friday, after day two of the test was completed, McLaren revealed the Australian has now returned a positive PCR test.

The team say he is continuing to isolate in accordance with local regulations.

They added: "Under these regulations, Daniel will be released in time for next weekend's Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix. Daniel is already beginning to feel better, and we wish him well for a quick recovery."

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Ricciardo said on social media: "Better this week than next... Unfortunate to miss the test, but I'm starting to feel better. I'll stay isolated and just focus on next weekend. Big thanks to Lando &amp; McLaren for the heavy lifting, I owe you some beers (milk for Lando). Appreciate the well wishes from everyone as well."

Norris will drive all day on Saturday - the final day of the test - having fulfilled driving duties on the opening two days, where McLaren struggled with brake issues and managed just over 100 laps in total.

Daniel Ricciardo has tested positive for COVID-19, but is set to complete his isolation in time for Formula 1's 2022 season-opening race in Bahrain. The McLaren driver felt unwell on Wednesday, the day before running at the Bahrain International Circuit began, and initially returned negative tests.

Daniel Ricciardo has tested positive for COVID-19, but is set to complete his isolation in time for Formula 1's 2022 season-opening race in Bahrain. The McLaren driver felt unwell on Wednesday, the day before running at the Bahrain International Circuit began, and initially returned negative tests. However on Friday, after day two of the test was completed, McLaren revealed the Australian has now returned a positive PCR test. The team say he is continuing to isolate in accordance with local regulations. They added: "Under these regulations, Daniel will be released in time for next weekend's Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix. Daniel is already beginning to feel better, and we wish him well for a quick recovery." ALSO READ: India's Jhulan Goswami creates history, becomes highest wicket-taker in Women's World Cup Ricciardo said on social media: "Better this week than next... Unfortunate to miss the test, but I'm starting to feel better. I'll stay isolated and just focus on next weekend. Big thanks to Lando & McLaren for the heavy lifting, I owe you some beers (milk for Lando). Appreciate the well wishes from everyone as well." Norris will drive all day on Saturday - the final day of the test - having fulfilled driving duties on the opening two days, where McLaren struggled with brake issues and managed just over 100 laps in total.

Formula One: McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo tests positive for COVID-19 ahead of race in Bahrain

Daniel Ricciardo won the Formula One Italian Grand Prix on Sunday as the Australian took advantage of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen's dramatic crash which eliminated both championship rivals.

Ricciardo was followed by his McLaren teammate Lando Norris in the British team's first win since the 2012 Brazilian GP, while Valtteri Bottas will take third despite starting in last place due to a five-second time penalty for Sergio Perez.

Red Bull's Verstappen leads seven-time world champion Hamilton by five points at the top of the drivers' standings as they both finished in the gravel following their crash halfway through the race.

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The Honey Badger is back, baby! 😃<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ItalianGP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ItalianGP</a> 🇮🇹 <a href="https://twitter.com/danielricciardo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@danielricciardo</a> <a href="https://t.co/rzu3iHif8u">pic.twitter.com/rzu3iHif8u</a>
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Ricciardo, 32, promised "total attack" after starting second on the grid and made the most of the most dramatic moment of an eventful race when Hamilton re-entered the Monza track from the pit lane.

Vertsappen tried to dart past Hamilton just after the Briton's pit stop but ended up with his back wheel rolling over the top of his rival's Mercedes, narrowly missing Hamilton's head.

Both drivers then slid into the gravel and were forced to retire from the race, which Hamilton was hoping to make his 100th Grand Prix victory.

Vertsappen was reportedly furious at Hamilton, saying his rival gave him "no space" in a crash which will be investigated by officials after the race.

Ricciardo then powered to victory backed up by his teammate Norris and was ecstatic as the pair earned McLaren's first one-two finish in 11 years.

Daniel Ricciardo won the Formula One Italian Grand Prix on Sunday as the Australian took advantage of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen's dramatic crash which eliminated both championship rivals.

Daniel Ricciardo won the Formula One Italian Grand Prix on Sunday as the Australian took advantage of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen's dramatic crash which eliminated both championship rivals. Ricciardo was followed by his McLaren teammate Lando Norris in the British team's first win since the 2012 Brazilian GP, while Valtteri Bottas will take third despite starting in last place due to a five-second time penalty for Sergio Perez. Red Bull's Verstappen leads seven-time world champion Hamilton by five points at the top of the drivers' standings as they both finished in the gravel following their crash halfway through the race. The Honey Badger is back, baby! 😃#ItalianGP 🇮🇹 @danielricciardo pic.twitter.com/rzu3iHif8u — Formula 1 (@F1) September 12, 2021 × Ricciardo, 32, promised "total attack" after starting second on the grid and made the most of the most dramatic moment of an eventful race when Hamilton re-entered the Monza track from the pit lane. Vertsappen tried to dart past Hamilton just after the Briton's pit stop but ended up with his back wheel rolling over the top of his rival's Mercedes, narrowly missing Hamilton's head. Both drivers then slid into the gravel and were forced to retire from the race, which Hamilton was hoping to make his 100th Grand Prix victory. Vertsappen was reportedly furious at Hamilton, saying his rival gave him "no space" in a crash which will be investigated by officials after the race. Ricciardo then powered to victory backed up by his teammate Norris and was ecstatic as the pair earned McLaren's first one-two finish in 11 years.

Daniel Ricciardo wins F1 Italian GP as Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen crash out

Daniel Ricciardo limped away in pain on Friday after crashing his Renault heavily during second free practice for this weekend's Styrian Grand Prix.

The 30-year-old Australian lost control of his car at Turn Nine and bumped backwards into the barriers, destroying much of the rear of his vehicle.

After a lengthy delay, the McLaren-bound driver hauled himself out of the cockpit and, limping heavily, walked out across the gravel trap.

He told his team on radio that he was ok as the session was red-flagged to a halt.

On a hot day at the Red Bull Ring, with torrential rain forecast for Saturday, the accident may have ruined his prospects for Sunday's race even if his team can perform all the necessary repairs.

He was collected by the medical car and taken to the circuit medical centre.

Daniel Ricciardo limped away in pain on Friday after crashing his Renault heavily during second free practice for this weekend's Styrian Grand Prix. The 30-year-old Australian lost control of his car at Turn Nine and bumped backwards into the barriers, destroying much of the rear of his vehicle.

Daniel Ricciardo limped away in pain on Friday after crashing his Renault heavily during second free practice for this weekend's Styrian Grand Prix. The 30-year-old Australian lost control of his car at Turn Nine and bumped backwards into the barriers, destroying much of the rear of his vehicle. After a lengthy delay, the McLaren-bound driver hauled himself out of the cockpit and, limping heavily, walked out across the gravel trap. He told his team on radio that he was ok as the session was red-flagged to a halt. On a hot day at the Red Bull Ring, with torrential rain forecast for Saturday, the accident may have ruined his prospects for Sunday's race even if his team can perform all the necessary repairs. He was collected by the medical car and taken to the circuit medical centre.

Ricciardo limps away after big crash in practice

Daniel Ricciardo has appealed for "more adult" behaviour and understanding from Formula One fans following an outbreak of cheers when <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lewis-hamilton-crash-causes-red-flag-stoppage-at-spa-practice-246848">Lewis Hamilton crashed</a> in practice at last weekend's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ferraris-charles-leclerc-wins-belgian-gp-for-first-race-victory-247028">Belgian Grand Prix</a>.

Speaking at Monza, ahead of this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, the Renault driver said he supported Hamilton's comments made after his accident in third practice last Saturday morning, just hours before the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/french-racer-anthoine-hubert-dies-after-formula-two-crash-organisers-246905">death of French driver Anthoine Hubert</a> in a Formula Two race.

The defending five-time world champion skidded off-circuit and into the barriers at Spa-Francorchamps where massed groups of rival teams' fans – many of them supporting Max Verstappen -- revelled in his misfortune.

Hamilton was unhurt.

In an Instagram post, the Briton said, "If a single one of you watching and enjoying this sport think for a second what we do is safe your hugely mistaken.

"All these drivers put their life on the line when they hit the track and people need to appreciate that in a serious way because it is not appreciated enough."

Ricciardo, who admitted he was unsure he felt motivated to race on Sunday following <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/family-and-motor-racing-teams-pay-tribute-to-anthoine-hubert-247020">Hubert's death</a>, said he agreed with Hamilton and suggested it was childish to cheer when a driver crashed.

"Whether you like someone or not, it is not nice to cheer for someone's downfall or mistake," said the Australian. "He (Hamilton) thinks the crowd assume the crash happens and we are ok, or whatever, and it is not like that.

"Every time we go on track, there is a risk and every time we do hit a wall, whether we are ok or not, it still plays something on your mind when you crash.

"Every time you go back to that corner, maybe there is something psychological there. So it does have an impact, one way or the other, physically or mentally, and I guess that is where he was coming from with that.

"I do agree with him, but it is also so hard because the fans, unless you race and put yourself in that position, they never experience what we do.

"It is just the nature of being a fan of a sport you don't compete in. It is hard to grasp or understand.

"All we can ask for is that if you are a fan, then be a true fan and respect what we do -- not only the skill, but also the risk. That is probably all we can ask."

He added that it was understandable that fans had favourites and there was some rivalry.

"You don't have to like every driver," he went on. "But to behave like that – you would expect if from kids, not adults. You would hope they behave better."

Daniel Ricciardo has appealed for "more adult" behaviour and understanding from Formula One fans following an outbreak of cheers when Lewis Hamilton crashed in practice at last weekend's Belgian Grand Prix.

Daniel Ricciardo has appealed for "more adult" behaviour and understanding from Formula One fans following an outbreak of cheers when Lewis Hamilton crashed in practice at last weekend's Belgian Grand Prix. Speaking at Monza, ahead of this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, the Renault driver said he supported Hamilton's comments made after his accident in third practice last Saturday morning, just hours before the death of French driver Anthoine Hubert in a Formula Two race. The defending five-time world champion skidded off-circuit and into the barriers at Spa-Francorchamps where massed groups of rival teams' fans – many of them supporting Max Verstappen -- revelled in his misfortune. Hamilton was unhurt. In an Instagram post, the Briton said, "If a single one of you watching and enjoying this sport think for a second what we do is safe your hugely mistaken. "All these drivers put their life on the line when they hit the track and people need to appreciate that in a serious way because it is not appreciated enough." Ricciardo, who admitted he was unsure he felt motivated to race on Sunday following Hubert's death, said he agreed with Hamilton and suggested it was childish to cheer when a driver crashed. "Whether you like someone or not, it is not nice to cheer for someone's downfall or mistake," said the Australian. "He (Hamilton) thinks the crowd assume the crash happens and we are ok, or whatever, and it is not like that. "Every time we go on track, there is a risk and every time we do hit a wall, whether we are ok or not, it still plays something on your mind when you crash. "Every time you go back to that corner, maybe there is something psychological there. So it does have an impact, one way or the other, physically or mentally, and I guess that is where he was coming from with that. "I do agree with him, but it is also so hard because the fans, unless you race and put yourself in that position, they never experience what we do. "It is just the nature of being a fan of a sport you don't compete in. It is hard to grasp or understand. "All we can ask for is that if you are a fan, then be a true fan and respect what we do -- not only the skill, but also the risk. That is probably all we can ask." He added that it was understandable that fans had favourites and there was some rivalry. "You don't have to like every driver," he went on. "But to behave like that – you would expect if from kids, not adults. You would hope they behave better."

Daniel Ricciardo backs Lewis Hamilton over fans cheering crash

Seemingly destined for disappointment at his home Grand Prix, Australian <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-formula-one-racer-daniel-ricciardo-meets-a-fan-who-gave-him-funny-nickname-daniel-avocado-203733">Daniel Ricciardo</a> might have hoped for an end to the curse after switching from Red Bull to Renault.

Instead, the home hero's hoodoo continued on Sunday as he suffered a calamitous start and ended up retiring for a third time at Albert Park.

While pondering his fate from the team garage, his former Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen grabbed a podium behind <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/motor-racing-valtteri-bottas-wins-australian-grand-prix-for-mercedes-203820">Mercedes winner Valtteri Bottas</a> and runner-up Lewis Hamilton.

Both Ricciardo and Verstappen had fumed over the performance of their Renault-powered cars last season, so the Australian might have felt a tinge of regret seeing Red Bull's successful debut with the engines of once-maligned Honda.

Ricciardo was already underwhelmed by Renault's performance during winter testing, and worked hard to lower expectations to success-starved fans in the leadup to Melbourne.

But even those low expectations were not met.

He lined up 12th on the grid after a poor qualifying on Saturday, and within seconds of the start, he had destroyed his front wing on a gutter after being pushed into the grass near the pit lane.

It prompted an immediate pitstop and his retirement midway through the race, with damage to broken barge-boards reducing performance and wearing tyres.

"I won’t swear, it’s alright. I’ve done enough of that," the seven-times race winner told reporters ruefully.

"No-one to blame other than just grass and then a big bump of concrete or something. A gutter. It was harsh, the bump.

"Just a shame, a shame it’s over so quickly."

A proven talent with a dependable smile, Ricciardo is beloved in Australia as the nation's sole Formula One racer.

But his popularity has become a chore, with the first race week of the year an endless procession of sponsorship and media commitments.

His inability to reach the podium in Australia has added to the frustration of a race where his desperation for success is matched only by his misfortune.

Ricciardo said it had all taken a toll.

"I don’t know how I’m smiling," said the 29-year-old, who was disqualified from a podium spot on his Red Bull debut at the same circuit in 2014.

"This week’s so long and I don’t seem to ever really have a good break here. I think we’re too busy pleasing everyone else and not worrying about ourselves.

"For sure I’m frustrated this week because again it’s like everyone expects so much but the reality is I’ve got to show up on Sunday and when the race is over in five seconds, whether it’s bad luck or not, I feel like well, preparation wasn’t where it should be."

His teammate Nico Hulkenberg had a better weekend, earning six points for seventh place, a result Ricciardo felt was on par for the car.

"I think we should be a top-eight car all of the first part of the season and then hopefully even better," he said.

"I think Bahrain is going to be a lot easier, that’s like a holiday week. There’s really nothing going on so I can actually prepare properly."

Seemingly destined for disappointment at his home Grand Prix, Australian Daniel Ricciardo might have hoped for an end to the curse after switching from Red Bull to Renault.

Seemingly destined for disappointment at his home Grand Prix, Australian Daniel Ricciardo might have hoped for an end to the curse after switching from Red Bull to Renault. Instead, the home hero's hoodoo continued on Sunday as he suffered a calamitous start and ended up retiring for a third time at Albert Park. While pondering his fate from the team garage, his former Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen grabbed a podium behind Mercedes winner Valtteri Bottas and runner-up Lewis Hamilton. Both Ricciardo and Verstappen had fumed over the performance of their Renault-powered cars last season, so the Australian might have felt a tinge of regret seeing Red Bull's successful debut with the engines of once-maligned Honda. Ricciardo was already underwhelmed by Renault's performance during winter testing, and worked hard to lower expectations to success-starved fans in the leadup to Melbourne. But even those low expectations were not met. He lined up 12th on the grid after a poor qualifying on Saturday, and within seconds of the start, he had destroyed his front wing on a gutter after being pushed into the grass near the pit lane. It prompted an immediate pitstop and his retirement midway through the race, with damage to broken barge-boards reducing performance and wearing tyres. "I won’t swear, it’s alright. I’ve done enough of that," the seven-times race winner told reporters ruefully. "No-one to blame other than just grass and then a big bump of concrete or something. A gutter. It was harsh, the bump. "Just a shame, a shame it’s over so quickly." A proven talent with a dependable smile, Ricciardo is beloved in Australia as the nation's sole Formula One racer. But his popularity has become a chore, with the first race week of the year an endless procession of sponsorship and media commitments. His inability to reach the podium in Australia has added to the frustration of a race where his desperation for success is matched only by his misfortune. Ricciardo said it had all taken a toll. "I don’t know how I’m smiling," said the 29-year-old, who was disqualified from a podium spot on his Red Bull debut at the same circuit in 2014. "This week’s so long and I don’t seem to ever really have a good break here. I think we’re too busy pleasing everyone else and not worrying about ourselves. "For sure I’m frustrated this week because again it’s like everyone expects so much but the reality is I’ve got to show up on Sunday and when the race is over in five seconds, whether it’s bad luck or not, I feel like well, preparation wasn’t where it should be." His teammate Nico Hulkenberg had a better weekend, earning six points for seventh place, a result Ricciardo felt was on par for the car. "I think we should be a top-eight car all of the first part of the season and then hopefully even better," he said. "I think Bahrain is going to be a lot easier, that’s like a holiday week. There’s really nothing going on so I can actually prepare properly."

Australian Grand Prix: New team, same sinking feeling for Daniel Ricciardo

A five-year-old Formula One fan, Louis Pope, has no idea that he is ruling the internet with a funny reference to his favourite F1 racer.&nbsp;

The 29-year-old <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/daniel-ricciardo-joins-renault-f1-team-on-two-year-deal-156798">Daniel Ricciardo</a>, who transferred from Red Bull to Renault in the off-season, got a strange nickname after the kid referred to him as "Daniel Avocado".&nbsp;

Ahead of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lewis-hamilton-takes-pole-at-australian-grand-prix-203692">Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix</a> in Melbourne, a reporter asked Louis&nbsp;his&nbsp;favourite F1 driver, on which he replied, "Daniel Avocado".&nbsp;

The video went viral and the fans started the trend of giving funny names to&nbsp;their favourite racer. Like Ferrari driver&nbsp;Sebastian Vettel became Sebastian "Pretzel" and McLaren driver Lando Norris was named as "Mango" Norris.&nbsp;

Even the official F1 Twitter handle mentioned Ricciardo as "Mr Avocado" in their tweets sharing info that Renault's new recruit Ricciardo might be lining up on the grid alongside "Kiwi" Raikkonen.&nbsp;

One of their tweets read, "Daniel Avocado. We just love it. Lining up on the grid with Kiwi Raikkonen...?"&nbsp;

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Yeah him and Sebastian Pretzel😂
— F1Cyberman (@F1Cyberman) <a href="https://twitter.com/F1Cyberman/status/1105394406415319040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Ricciardo thanked Louis in person and gave him a new Renault cap adorned with his signature.&nbsp;

Watch the video:&nbsp;

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Daniel Avocado 🥑 <a href="https://twitter.com/danielricciardo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@danielricciardo</a> loved his new nickname so much he wanted to meet the boy who made it. <a href="https://twitter.com/10NewsFirst?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@10NewsFirst</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/10SportAU?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@10SportAU</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/F1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@F1</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ausgrandprix?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ausgrandprix</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RenaultF1Team?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RenaultF1Team</a> <a href="https://t.co/xx6K12u2sZ">pic.twitter.com/xx6K12u2sZ</a>
— Annie Kearney (@anniemaykearney) <a href="https://twitter.com/anniemaykearney/status/1106740035028541440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Nice to meet you, Mr Avocado 🥑 😂<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F1</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusGP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusGP</a> 🇦🇺 <a href="https://twitter.com/danielricciardo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@danielricciardo</a> <a href="https://t.co/HBeEXalqcY">pic.twitter.com/HBeEXalqcY</a>
— Formula 1 (@F1) <a href="https://twitter.com/F1/status/1106873690933858304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2019</a></blockquote>
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At the Australian Grand Prix, Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton to a record-extending eighth pole and sixth in succession.&nbsp;

While the Australian Daniel Ricciardo was a big casualty, finishing 12th in his first outing for new team Renault after moving from Red Bull.&nbsp;

A five-year-old Formula One fan, Louis Pope, has no idea that he is ruling the internet with a funny reference to his favourite F1 racer. The 29-year-old Daniel Ricciardo, who transferred from Red Bull to Renault in the off-season, got a strange nickname after the kid referred to him as "Daniel Avocado".

A five-year-old Formula One fan, Louis Pope, has no idea that he is ruling the internet with a funny reference to his favourite F1 racer. The 29-year-old Daniel Ricciardo, who transferred from Red Bull to Renault in the off-season, got a strange nickname after the kid referred to him as "Daniel Avocado". Ahead of Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix in Melbourne, a reporter asked Louis his favourite F1 driver, on which he replied, "Daniel Avocado". The video went viral and the fans started the trend of giving funny names to their favourite racer. Like Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel became Sebastian "Pretzel" and McLaren driver Lando Norris was named as "Mango" Norris. Even the official F1 Twitter handle mentioned Ricciardo as "Mr Avocado" in their tweets sharing info that Renault's new recruit Ricciardo might be lining up on the grid alongside "Kiwi" Raikkonen. One of their tweets read, "Daniel Avocado. We just love it. Lining up on the grid with Kiwi Raikkonen...?" Yeah him and Sebastian Pretzel😂 — F1Cyberman (@F1Cyberman) March 12, 2019 × Ricciardo thanked Louis in person and gave him a new Renault cap adorned with his signature. Watch the video: Daniel Avocado 🥑 @danielricciardo loved his new nickname so much he wanted to meet the boy who made it. @10NewsFirst @10SportAU @F1 @ausgrandprix @RenaultF1Team pic.twitter.com/xx6K12u2sZ — Annie Kearney (@anniemaykearney) March 16, 2019 × Nice to meet you, Mr Avocado 🥑 😂#F1 #AusGP 🇦🇺 @danielricciardo pic.twitter.com/HBeEXalqcY — Formula 1 (@F1) March 16, 2019 × At the Australian Grand Prix, Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton to a record-extending eighth pole and sixth in succession. While the Australian Daniel Ricciardo was a big casualty, finishing 12th in his first outing for new team Renault after moving from Red Bull.

Watch: Formula One racer Daniel Ricciardo meets a fan who gave him funny nickname, 'Daniel Avocado'

Daniel Ricciardo will raise plenty of cheers if he beats his former Red Bull teammates in Melbourne next week but the new Renault driver will not be throwing any toys out of the pram if the opposite happens.

The Australian's move to the French manufacturer team at the end of last year was a long term play for the Perth native, a home hero now in yellow overalls ahead of the season-opening race.

"I was aware when I signed the deal here that it was very realistic that, at least come Melbourne, they (Red Bull) are going to be in front," said Ricciardo when asked about the immediate prospects.

"Because I in a way expect it, it's not going to be a shock or anything like that.

"I'm not going to be bitter if they beat us in Melbourne. I feel now we're still on a bit of a different journey," added the 29-year-old.

Former champions Renault, who won titles with Fernando Alonso in 2005-06 and powered Red Bull and their German driver Sebastian Vettel to four double titles in a row between 2010-2013, were fourth overall last season.

Red Bull were third behind champions Mercedes and Ferrari, with Ricciardo and Max Verstappen each winning two races and have since switched to Honda engines.

The evidence from testing suggested Honda had got on top of the performance and reliability problems that have plagued them in the past.

"I know probably a lot of people think 'Ah, if he were to beat Red Bull how good would that be? Sticking it to them'. But it's honestly not like that. If we could overcome any of those top three I'd be stoked," said Ricciardo.

"Seeing what I've seen so far (at Renault) I think there's enough resources to get into that world. So I don't think that's unattainable for us.

"It might not be this year, but it's not a permanent handicap, so to speak."

RUNNING FROM A FIGHT

Had Ricciardo stayed at Red Bull, and they were clear about wanting him to, he would have continued to fight for star billing with Verstappen, the 21-year-old Dutch driver considered a future champion.

The likeable Australian sees himself in a similar light but risked being considered increasingly as a number two alongside the favoured son.

Ricciardo told reporters before the start of testing that his decision to leave was due to a 'kaleidoscope' of different pieces, however.

There was a desire to repeat Lewis Hamilton's success in recognising the potential of a major manufacturer when he moved from McLaren to Mercedes and also annoyance at how Red Bull treated him after an incident in Baku last season.

The team held both Ricciardo and Verstappen equally to blame for a collision that the Australian still holds was mainly Verstappen's fault.

"We both got a talking to, putting it politely. But in my eyes I guess the incident itself I felt I was not really in the wrong," he said. "I guess the way it was handled at the time didn't sit too well with me."

Team boss Christian Horner suggested Ricciardo was "running from a fight" in leaving but the Perth driver, whose new German team mate Nico Hulkenberg has yet to stand on the podium in 156 starts, denied that.

"I love a good fight," he said. "It wasn't about Max. I can understand why they'd say that, but it's wrong."

Ricciardo said the main aim for the season ahead was simply to make progress, for the team to continue on an upward trajectory.

"As long as we make inroads, that's got to be a pretty successful year," he said.

Daniel Ricciardo will raise plenty of cheers if he beats his former Red Bull teammates in Melbourne next week but the new Renault driver will not be throwing any toys out of the pram if the opposite happens.

Daniel Ricciardo will raise plenty of cheers if he beats his former Red Bull teammates in Melbourne next week but the new Renault driver will not be throwing any toys out of the pram if the opposite happens. The Australian's move to the French manufacturer team at the end of last year was a long term play for the Perth native, a home hero now in yellow overalls ahead of the season-opening race. "I was aware when I signed the deal here that it was very realistic that, at least come Melbourne, they (Red Bull) are going to be in front," said Ricciardo when asked about the immediate prospects. "Because I in a way expect it, it's not going to be a shock or anything like that. "I'm not going to be bitter if they beat us in Melbourne. I feel now we're still on a bit of a different journey," added the 29-year-old. Former champions Renault, who won titles with Fernando Alonso in 2005-06 and powered Red Bull and their German driver Sebastian Vettel to four double titles in a row between 2010-2013, were fourth overall last season. Red Bull were third behind champions Mercedes and Ferrari, with Ricciardo and Max Verstappen each winning two races and have since switched to Honda engines. The evidence from testing suggested Honda had got on top of the performance and reliability problems that have plagued them in the past. "I know probably a lot of people think 'Ah, if he were to beat Red Bull how good would that be? Sticking it to them'. But it's honestly not like that. If we could overcome any of those top three I'd be stoked," said Ricciardo. "Seeing what I've seen so far (at Renault) I think there's enough resources to get into that world. So I don't think that's unattainable for us. "It might not be this year, but it's not a permanent handicap, so to speak." RUNNING FROM A FIGHT Had Ricciardo stayed at Red Bull, and they were clear about wanting him to, he would have continued to fight for star billing with Verstappen, the 21-year-old Dutch driver considered a future champion. The likeable Australian sees himself in a similar light but risked being considered increasingly as a number two alongside the favoured son. Ricciardo told reporters before the start of testing that his decision to leave was due to a 'kaleidoscope' of different pieces, however. There was a desire to repeat Lewis Hamilton's success in recognising the potential of a major manufacturer when he moved from McLaren to Mercedes and also annoyance at how Red Bull treated him after an incident in Baku last season. The team held both Ricciardo and Verstappen equally to blame for a collision that the Australian still holds was mainly Verstappen's fault. "We both got a talking to, putting it politely. But in my eyes I guess the incident itself I felt I was not really in the wrong," he said. "I guess the way it was handled at the time didn't sit too well with me." Team boss Christian Horner suggested Ricciardo was "running from a fight" in leaving but the Perth driver, whose new German team mate Nico Hulkenberg has yet to stand on the podium in 156 starts, denied that. "I love a good fight," he said. "It wasn't about Max. I can understand why they'd say that, but it's wrong." Ricciardo said the main aim for the season ahead was simply to make progress, for the team to continue on an upward trajectory. "As long as we make inroads, that's got to be a pretty successful year," he said.

Motor racing: No regrets if Renault are chasing Red Bull, says Daniel Ricciardo

Daniel Ricciardo`s Australian Grand Prix jinx struck again on Friday with the Red Bull driver handed a three-place grid penalty for his home race for going too fast during red flag conditions.

Stewards, who also gave the Australian two penalty points, said the breach occurred during the day`s second practice session at Albert Park.

Ricciardo had admitted an error in reading his dashboard display, they added.

&quot;The Stewards thoroughly reviewed the breach and found that the driver slowed significantly, such that no danger was created, and that the driver proceeded with due care,&quot; stewards said in a statement.

&quot;The Stewards therefore are imposing a lesser penalty than usual, and impose a three grid place penalty and two penalty points.&quot;

No Australian has ever won his home Grand Prix but Ricciardo was seen as a contender this season, with Red Bull looking fast in testing.

In 2014, he finished second in his debut race for Red Bull but was disqualified soon after for a mechanical infringement that was no fault of his own.

He just missed out on a maiden podium for a home driver in 2016 when he finished fourth, while last year he crashed in qualifying, started from the pitlane and then retired midway through the race.

&quot;It has to be more fun (this year),&quot; he had said on Thursday.

Ricciardo had admitted an error in reading his dashboard display

Daniel Ricciardo`s Australian Grand Prix jinx struck again on Friday with the Red Bull driver handed a three-place grid penalty for his home race for going too fast during red flag conditions. Stewards, who also gave the Australian two penalty points, said the breach occurred during the day`s second practice session at Albert Park. Ricciardo had admitted an error in reading his dashboard display, they added. "The Stewards thoroughly reviewed the breach and found that the driver slowed significantly, such that no danger was created, and that the driver proceeded with due care," stewards said in a statement. "The Stewards therefore are imposing a lesser penalty than usual, and impose a three grid place penalty and two penalty points." No Australian has ever won his home Grand Prix but Ricciardo was seen as a contender this season, with Red Bull looking fast in testing. In 2014, he finished second in his debut race for Red Bull but was disqualified soon after for a mechanical infringement that was no fault of his own. He just missed out on a maiden podium for a home driver in 2016 when he finished fourth, while last year he crashed in qualifying, started from the pitlane and then retired midway through the race. "It has to be more fun (this year)," he had said on Thursday.

Daniel Ricciardo handed three-place penalty for home race

Valtteri Bottas denied quadruple world champion team mate Lewis Hamilton the final pole position of the Formula One season on Saturday, leading a Mercedes one-two in Abu Dhabi Grand Prix qualifying.

The pole was the Finn&#39;s second in a row, after Brazil two weeks ago, and fourth of the campaign. Hamilton had been aiming for his 12th of the year.

Ferrari&#39;s Sebastian Vettel qualified third with Australian Daniel Ricciardo lining up alongside him on the second row of the grid for Red Bull.

Hamilton won his fourth title in Mexico last month while Mercedes clinched their fourth successive constructors&#39; championship with three races to spare.

Valtteri Bottas denied quadruple world champion team mate Lewis Hamilton the final pole position of the Formula One season on Saturday, leading a Mercedes one-two in Abu Dhabi Grand Prix qualifying

Valtteri Bottas denied quadruple world champion team mate Lewis Hamilton the final pole position of the Formula One season on Saturday, leading a Mercedes one-two in Abu Dhabi Grand Prix qualifying. The pole was the Finn's second in a row, after Brazil two weeks ago, and fourth of the campaign. Hamilton had been aiming for his 12th of the year. Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel qualified third with Australian Daniel Ricciardo lining up alongside him on the second row of the grid for Red Bull. Hamilton won his fourth title in Mexico last month while Mercedes clinched their fourth successive constructors' championship with three races to spare.

Formula One: Bottas denies Hamilton final pole of 2017

Red Bull&#39;s Daniel Ricciardo claimed his maiden Formula One win of the season in&nbsp;Malaysian Grand Prix today&nbsp;as long-time leader Lewis Hamilton retired following a Mercedes engine failure.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The Australian&#39;s mate Max Verstappen finished second to score the former champions&#39; first one-two finish since the 2013 Brazilian Grand Prix, denying Mercedes the chance to wrap up the constructors&#39; title at the Sepang circuit, Reuters reported.

&nbsp;

In the second Mercedes Nico Rosberg came through the pack after early drama to finish third and extend his championship lead over Hamilton to 23 points, according to an official statement.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The F1 race report stated that despite Rosberg picked&nbsp;up a 10-second time penalty for a mid-race clash with Ferrari&rsquo;s Kimi Raikkonen, who finished fourth. Split by McLaren&rsquo;s Fernando Alonso, who came from the back row to take seventh, Williams&rsquo; Valtteri Bottas took fifth ahead of the Force Indias of Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg,

&nbsp;

While on the othet hand, team mate Jenson Button was ninth in his 300th Grand Prix, as fellow Briton Jolyon Palmer took his first F1 point with 10th for Renault.

&nbsp;

Ricciardo finally got his payback for his Monaco loss earlier in the year, as he came through a brutal battle with Verstappen which became one for victory after Hamilton&rsquo;s Mercedes had blown up when well ahead on the 41st lap. It was the fourth win of his F1 career.

&nbsp;

(WION)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Nico Rosberg finished third, despite collecting a 10-second time penalty after colliding with Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen

Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo claimed his maiden Formula One win of the season in Malaysian Grand Prix today as long-time leader Lewis Hamilton retired following a Mercedes engine failure. The Australian's mate Max Verstappen finished second to score the former champions' first one-two finish since the 2013 Brazilian Grand Prix, denying Mercedes the chance to wrap up the constructors' title at the Sepang circuit, Reuters reported. In the second Mercedes Nico Rosberg came through the pack after early drama to finish third and extend his championship lead over Hamilton to 23 points, according to an official statement. The F1 race report stated that despite Rosberg picked up a 10-second time penalty for a mid-race clash with Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen, who finished fourth. Split by McLaren’s Fernando Alonso, who came from the back row to take seventh, Williams’ Valtteri Bottas took fifth ahead of the Force Indias of Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg, While on the othet hand, team mate Jenson Button was ninth in his 300th Grand Prix, as fellow Briton Jolyon Palmer took his first F1 point with 10th for Renault. Ricciardo finally got his payback for his Monaco loss earlier in the year, as he came through a brutal battle with Verstappen which became one for victory after Hamilton’s Mercedes had blown up when well ahead on the 41st lap. It was the fourth win of his F1 career. (WION)

Malaysian Grand Prix 2016: Ricciardo leads Red Bull one-two as Hamilton retires

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