For Daniel Ricciardo it was a qualifying with mixed feelings. On the one hand it was encouraging that he had an eleventh fastest time, just a handful of thousandths behind teammate Yuki Tsunoda, especially after he had virtually no driving on Friday, but on the other hand there was the frustration of narrowly missing Q3.
“I have mixed feelings today,” Ricciardo told the media in Suzuka after being narrowly eliminated in Q2. “There is a bit of frustration but it is also encouraging to be so close to Q3 this time after such a tricky start to the year.”
“If we leave out the result, I think you can call it a good session. I couldn’t ride in dry conditions yesterday. We just had a few laps this morning to get a good feel and adapt, including a spin, and then we had to quickly find some tenths in qualifying.”
“I’m glad we’re almost there, but it’s not Q3. It would have been nice to give the boys a boost, but I honestly think everyone was quite happy, that’s what it looked like anyway.”
“I have calmed down a bit now,” Ricciardo qualified his emotional response over the on-board radio. “I wasn’t angry but it was the fighting spirit in me. I knew I was tenth and when you get knocked out with such a small difference.”
However, from eleventh place on the starting grid, points are within reach, something Ricciardo is also resolutely aiming for.
“We are almost in the points. After a good start that will be the case and then I will not let them go.”
“Our race speed is quite okay. We have been on the clean side of the grid for a long time, I will launch myself into the top ten very early. So points on Sunday!”