Ricciardo still hopeful of avoiding grid penalty
MONTREAL: Daniel Ricciardo hopes he and Red Bull have found a way to avoid what seemed to be an inevitable grid penalty at this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix.
The Australian won the Monaco Grand Prix two weeks ago despite the loss of the MGU-K component in his car’s power unit, which it was understood would have to be replaced by a new -- and third this season -- unit in Canada.
However, instead of taking a new unit, the team intend to use the MGU-K that was on his car until the Chinese Grand Prix in April.
And if they do so, it would mean they have not exceeded the limit of two units in a season -- thus avoiding an automatic 10-place grid penalty.
“I’ve been told there’s no penalty,” Ricciardo told reporters at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Thursday.
“If something happens tomorrow in practice and we’re forced to change something, then I’ll get a penalty, but for now we’ve got enough parts to run and if it runs reliably then we’ll do the whole weekend on it.”
But he said a third unit would be required soon and may be introduced at the French Grand Prix later this month.
He explained that it was a bigger blow to take a penalty in Canada than in France.
“This is such a difficult circuit for overtaking and obviously having such good momentum at the moment, a penalty would really take a bit of wind out of our sails. If we can escape this weekend without it, I’d rather take it somewhere else.”