Red Bull Motorsports
F1
Joy for Ricciardo as he takes first win in Canada
The Australian survives crazy race in Montreal to take maiden victory ahead of Rosberg and Vettel.
Daniel Ricciardo has taken his first ever Formula One victory after surviving a a drama-filled race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal.
The Australian led home the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg and his Red Bull Racing team-mate Sebastian Vettel, who claimed his second podium of the season after an impressive qualifying performance that put him third on the grid.
The race ended in dramatic fashion after Force India’s Sergio Perez and Williams’ Felipe Massa, fighting for top positions after electrical gremlins had hampered the Mercedes pair of Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, collided, sending both spiralling into the wall and bringing out the safety car.
That allowed Ricciardo, who had just managed to find a way past Rosberg and into the race lead, to hold position and cross the line to record his maiden F1 win.
Ricciardo and Vettel on the podium
© Getty Images/Mark Thompson
“It’s an amazing feeling right now and I’m really grateful for this,” said Ricciardo after finishing the race that’s already being described as a modern classic. “I set my sights on Nico [Rosberg] and then with a couple of laps to go, I found myself in the right spot to get the DRS.”
“It’s a very positive day,” said Ricciardo’s team-mate Sebastian Vettel on the podium. “Daniel’s first win, Renault’s first win in this new era of engines. There’s still plenty of work ahead of us…but once again, congrats to Daniel.”
The result means that Ricciardo moves up to third in the Drivers’ standings with 79 points, behind Rosberg, who opens up his lead in the table over team-mate Lewis Hamilton.
Vettel beat Hamilton at the start
© Getty Images/Tom Pennington
1) Red Bull Racing resurgent
True, it may have taken electric gremlins to rule out the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton from the race and compromise Nico Rosberg. But Red Bull Racing looked to be back to their best in Canada, with an impressive qualifying performance from Vettel then capped off by a double podium for the team.
2) Max Chilton’s run of finishes comes to an end
Marussia driver Max Chilton had made it 25 races – his entire F1 career – without ever suffering a retirement. That all changed on lap one of his 26th race, when an out-of-shape Chilton clanged into team-mate Jules Bianchi, taking them both out.
3) Perez and Massa OK after shunt
Sergio Perez and Felipe Massa’s last-gasp shunt in the race was massive and not pretty. But fortunately, reports coming back from the medical centre were that both drivers were OK.
Strong race for Perez ended in disaster
© Sahara Force India
4) Haas team should be in Formula One by 2016
American Gene Haas seemed confident when interviewed on the grid that he would be able to get a team ready in time for the 2016 season. The NASCAR team-owner was a guest for the weekend at Ferrari, leading to speculation that, if cost-cutting measures are brought in allowing customer cars, Haas may go down the Ferrari route.
5) Adrian Newey will take a step back from F1 – but stay with Red Bull
Red Bull Racing announced that Adrian Newey, the team’s Chief Technical Officer, would be stepping back from their Formula One operation to focus on other projects, but significantly will remain as an advisor and mentor to the team, rather than going elsewhere.
And finally...
It seems that Canada is a favourite place for drivers to score their maiden victories, with Lewis Hamilton, Robert Kubica, Jean Alesi, Gilles Villeneuve and now Daniel Ricciardo all taking their first wins there.
