After starting second on the grid, Riccardo drove a great race, albeit being unable to fully challenge Sebastian Vettel for the win but finished second and says he and his team should be proud of how they performed today.
“I think this was our best chance of a win and we got close, so we can be proud of what we did. We have made the most of our opportunities here” said Ricciardo.
Ricciardo admits that he could have undercut Vettel, but pitting before both safety car periods hindered his chances.
“At the start Seb just went away and then I was coming back to him and if it hadn’t been for the Safety Car, we’d have got pretty close and maybe an undercut would have been possible at the pit stop. “Making both stops under the safety car affected our chances and I think that dictated the race really.
“In the first stint we were coming on quite strong, with Seb pushing hard to break the DRS gap. But as the laps were ticking down, we were starting to come alive and I was able to lean on the tyres a bit more.
“Then I was frustrated to see the Safety Car come out, but I knew I still had to make one more stop so I had one more chance. But Seb seemed to have learned from the first stint and started easier than in the first one and was able to pull away later.
”I was able to close on him again, before we had another Safety Car. That was that really because it’s hard to overtake here. We got the fastest lap right at the end and we can be proud of that.
Ricciardo says he believes Red Bull will provide a good showing next time out in Suzuka, but believes it won’t be as strong as it was this weekend saying that he and the team can aim for a top five finish. Ricciardo is also happy with the chassis that Red Bull are providing, adding that it’s come alive in the last few races.
“Moving forward, Suzuka is usually a good track for us, although I don’t expect to do as well as there, but we can aim for the top five. It’s good to get another podium, I’m really happy for the team. The last few races the chassis has really come alive so thanks to the guys for that.”
