Red Bull Motorsports
F1
Thriller in Canada: Ricciardo Takes First F1 Win
The Australian driver finishes a crazy Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal ahead of Rosberg and Vettel.
Prized possession: Maiden win for Ricciardo
© Getty Images/Tom Pennington
Daniel Ricciardo claimed his first-ever Formula One victory after surviving a drama-filled race at the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, breaking the Mercedes winning streak at six races.
The Australian driver led home the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg and his Red Bull Racing teammate Sebastian Vettel, who claimed his second podium of the season after an impressive qualifying performance that put him third on the grid.
The race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve ended in dramatic fashion. With electrical gremlins hampered the Mercedes pair of Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, Force India’s Sergio Perez and Williams’ Felipe Massa found themselves fighting for top positions. Perez and Massa collided with two laps to go, sending both spiraling into the wall, and the safety car emerged.
Ricciardo, who qualified sixth and moved up to second on the 65th lap, had passed Rosberg for the lead just before the collision. With the safety car out for the final laps, Ricciardo was guaranteed his first grand prix win and Red Bull Racing's first victory of the season.
Vettel beat Hamilton at the start
© Getty Images/Tom Pennington
Strong race for Perez ended in disaster
© Sahara Force India
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 the race. “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.”
Rosberg conceded afterward that his Mercedes just didn't have the power to contend with Ricciardo.
"Towards the end of the race, I tried to defend against Sergio which was fine, but Daniel was too fast on the straights with much more power than I had available, and he was able to get past," said Rosberg.
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 teammate Lewis Hamilton.
“It’s a very positive day,” said Vettel. “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.”
Up next for Ricciardo and the rest of Formula One is a return to Austria and Red Bull's home track, the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg.
