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Formula 1 Spanish GP
Ricciardo: "We just threw the win away today"
Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo believes a good chance at taking his fourth Formula 1 win went begging in the Spanish Grand Prix, due to Red Bull putting him on the three-stop strategy.
Darshan Chokhani
Edited: May 15, 2016, 4:54 PM
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After the opening-lap incident between the Mercedes drivers, Ricciardo took the lead of the race from teammate Max Verstappen, with the two Ferraris following right behind.
And when Sebastian Vettel was called into the pits for the second time, clearly committing to a three-stop strategy, Ricciardo stopped as well, whereas Verstappen and Kimi Raikkonen stayed out.
The two-stop proved the better strategy in the end, Ricciardo subsequently slipping to fourth as Vettel took his final stop early.
"It's not hard to see Max on the podium but it's hard for me to not be on the podium, that's the biggest disappointment from today," said a disappointed Ricciardo after the race.
"We were leading, it was there for us, Mercedes had their mistakes on Lap 1 and the race was in our hands.
"And [then] we went to three-stop strategy, we did [it] too late as well, Seb [had] already jumped us, so then not only I was required to pass Seb, I had to pass three cars when we know we are down on speed and it is a hard track to pass.
"It didn't made sense, I thought at the time we did it because everyone else was going to do it but it's frustrating, I think we just threw the win away today."
When asked why the team switched to a three-stop strategy, he said: "I don't know, I haven't spoken to anyone yet.
"Obviously they are enjoying the podium, which is fair enough. But, yeah, I don't understand why I was the one, normally the guy in the lead gets the better strategy, it didn't work out today."
Puncture
A late puncture for Ricciardo while he was trying to pass Vettel for third forced the Aussie into the pits on the final lap, albeit he did emerge in time to keep fourth place.
After the race, Ricciardo ruled out that the puncture was due to any contact. "I don't think there was any contact," he said.
"[And] probably 99 percent percent of the drivers on the grid actually didn't try to make an overtake, a lot of them were sitting behind and not having a crack.
"So I tried few times, it didn't work, but I wasn't content sitting in fourth. Did that have anything to do with the puncture? I don't think so.
"Not that I believe in luck, but [it's] just crappy circumstances for now."
Horner defends splitting strategies
Red Bull boss Christian Horner, meanwhile, defended the team's decision to put Ricciardo on a three-stopper, while leaving Verstappen on two.
Horner insisted that the team's approach was motivated by the need to cover off both Ferrari drivers, who themselves opted for different strategies.
"Having qualified in a good position and with Mercedes not being there, we had to cover Ferrari today.
"They probably had at least as quick - if not a quicker - car in clean air. But through the tactics we adopted, through the driving that Max [did] - he made not one mistake, the whole weekend, not just the grand prix."
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