Thursday forward of the Miami Grand Prix Daniel Ricciardo met with the media, together with SB Nation, to speak about his season thus far, the upcoming race in Miami, and extra. However among the many subjects mentioned that morning was a race meaning a lot to Ricciardo, and the whole System 1 world.
The race that awaits us this week.
Following an emotional week in Imola F1 heads to its crown jewel, the Monaco Grand Prix. It’s a race that Ricciardo can depend amongst his eight F1 wins, as the driving force conquered the sector, and the Monte Carlo streets, again in 2018. As Ricciardo described the Monaco Grand Prix lately, it’s an occasion that makes even the drivers cease to understand what they’ve.
“Properly, my rapid reply is sure, as a result of I consider I consider qualifying,” mentioned Ricciardo when requested in Miami about how particular Monaco is.
“I consider the occasion itself as a driver, the sensation of being in Monaco, you are feeling like … I don’t need this to sound like, I don’t know if materialistic is the phrase, however you are feeling like a famous person,” added Ricciardo.
Ricciardo continued on to say that as a driver, the Monaco Grand Prix is a second the place you need to cease and pinch your self, and do not forget that what you get to do is one thing fairly particular
“But it surely’s the one place the place you’re like, ‘I’m doing one thing actually superior.’ And if you happen to’re not appreciating it, it’s a spot the place you actually recognize the job you’ve got,” added Ricciardo.
“There’s like an aura simply that surrounds that occasion, that race. Saturday qualifying in Monaco is likely one of the most intense emotions we get as a driver,” continued Ricciardo. “Albeit Sunday, yeah, perhaps it’s just a little completely different. Possibly Sunday nonetheless isn’t good by any means. The occasion and the Saturday I feel nonetheless give it sufficient.”
Ricciardo has skilled each highs, and lows, within the Monaco Grand Prix. He put his Purple Bull on pole place for the 2016 Monaco Grand Prix and was operating up entrance within the race when he got here into the pits on Lap 32. There was only one drawback.
The staff was not prepared for him.
The crew within the storage scurried into motion, however the injury was performed. Ricciardo got here again onto the Monte Carlo streets in second behind Lewis Hamilton, and that’s the place he completed.
Writing years later, Ricciardo outlined simply how robust that day was for him.
“Even 4 years on, I bear in mind this present day in a lot element, it’s like a video in my thoughts. I can image myself driving by means of the nook earlier than the tunnel after THAT pit cease and I used to be so offended. I wouldn’t have minded having a mechanical so I didn’t end, I didn’t wish to discuss to anybody afterwards, I definitely didn’t need any sympathy … it was simply pure rage,” wrote Ricciardo in 2020 on social media.
“I bear in mind standing on the rostrum with Lewis, he’d received a race that I had beneath management … I simply didn’t wish to be there.”
Redemption got here two years later. Within the 2018 Monaco Grand Prix Ricciardo certified on pole once more, however earlier than the midway level he reported to the staff a lack of energy. His RB14 had skilled an influence failure within the MGU-Okay, leaving him with decreased horsepower and simply six functioning gears.
It was sufficient, as he managed to carry off a cost from Sebastian Vettel to take the checkered flag, and a few redemption.
“I’m not going to lie, Monaco 2016 haunted me for 2 years, after which to not put a foot incorrect in 2018 and considering the win would slip away from me once more … With Monaco, if you happen to maintain the lead into the primary nook from pole, it’s yours to lose in a approach. The race is in your fingers. However 2018 was a special stage of stress merely due to what had occurred there in ‘16,” wrote Ricciardo years later. “The principle feeling was sheer aid that this time I didn’t have it taken from me.”
Ricciardo celebrated that win in quintessential Ricciardo trend, with a swan dive into the pool:
Will we see one other swan dive this week?
That could be unlikely, however we’ll see in Ricciardo — and certain the remainder of the grid — is a driver appreciating simply how particular the Monaco Grand Prix is.
