26/08/2023
NEWS STORY
Daniel Ricciardo says he had a clear choice as he approached Turn 3 in FP2, either to hit the crashed car of countryman Oscar Piastri or the wall.
It was definitely one of the sport's stranger incidents, for while Piastri's crash was straightforward, the McLaren driver simply having 'lost it' on entry to the banked corner, the incident involving Ricciardo moments later looked almost deliberate.
It was.
"I remember coming into Turn 3," explains the AlphaTauri driver. "I had already gotten into the corner and then saw Piastri, so it was either hit him or the wall.
"When I hit the wall, I didn't have enough time to take my hands off the steering wheel," he added, "so the wheel came and hit my hand.
"It's really unfortunate and frustrating, but I'll try to recover as quickly as I can."
However, with Monza just a week away, Ricciardo fears that he may miss the Italian Grand Prix also.
"Obviously, I'd love to get back soon, but I also want to ensure we do things the right way, so I come back strong and competitive. I wish the team well, and I'm sorry for the change in plans again."
With the Faenza-based outfit ruling out a return for Nyck de Vries, rookie kiwi, Liam Lawson is drafted in for his F1 debut.
"It's a chance for Liam to have a go," said Ricciardo. "I wish him and the team a strong weekend."
Lawson, currently second in the Japanese Super Formula series has previously made FP1 outings for AlphaTauri at last year's Belgian and Mexican Grands Prix, and subsequently drove the Red Bull in the post-season test in Abu Dhabi.
Overlooked for the second seat following de Vries' sacking, the New Zealander said he "understood their decision" to opt for Ricciardo.
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