Strategy error cost Ricciardo

DANIEL Ricciardo was left to wonder what might have been after admitting his wet weather strategy at the Russian Grand Prix came too late to make an impact.

The Australian finished fourth but could well have backed up his Monza win with another podium had he pitted a few laps earlier.

With heavy rain falling in the late stages of the Sochi Grand Prix, the circuit suddenly transformed into an ice rink for cars on slick tyres meaning last minute alterations were made to numerous driver strategies.

Ricciardo’s teammate Lando Norris opted to stay out on track but the Aussie wanted to follow Lewis Hamilton’s lead and change to intermediate tyres to mount a late bid for the podium. Ultimately the pit stop came too late and it was P4 for the McLaren driver who was left to rue the delay.

“I’m asking pit wall if the rain’s getting heavier because this part of the track was more or less dry, it was the far part which was wet,” Ricciardo said.

“And we are the best reference for that so I said like Turn 5, Turn 7, I can’t keep it on the track anymore. So for me it was clear, I said I need to come in for the intermediates because Turn 7 I went off nearly close to the wall.

“So it wasn’t even a question for me. I told the guys I need inter. In hindsight probably one lap earlier was even better. We still probably didn’t perfect it but it was still the right call.”