Disaster for Daniel Ricciardo with the Australian driver eliminated from qualifying for the Australian F1 Grand Prix
- Ricciardo has never been eliminated in the first quarter in Australia
- Delivered a clutch round to put himself in a strong position
- However, stewards canceled the time due to a technical problem
Daniel Ricciardo has been eliminated from the first qualifying session of the Australian F1 Grand Prix at Albert Park for the first time in history after exceeding track limits.
The Aussie had delivered what looked like a final lap to progress to Q2, before the stewards canceled that time as they felt Ricciardo had exceeded the track limits at Turn 5.
The deleted lap time would have placed Ricciardo in twelfth place and would have been good enough to progress to Q2.
Ricciardo had high expectations of a strong finish in qualifying and arrived at Albert Park today
Stewards deemed Ricciardo had exceeded the track limits at Turn 5, eliminating him from Q2 and he will start from the back row on Sunday
However, the stewards’ call means that Ricciardo will not progress to Q2 and will start on the back row of the grid based on his second-best lap time, leaving the Aussie in 18th position.
RB team boss Laurent Mekies said: ‘It’s very difficult to swallow, but that’s how it is. Daniel did very well, probably his best lap yet and more than enough to reach Q2.
“He was a little wide in Turn 5 and we’re a few inches off the track.”
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