F1 | Abu Dhabi GP | Ricciardo "relieved" to finish the 2022 season with points
After a year of ups and downs the ever-smiling Ozzy was glad his Abu Dhabi performance was a solid one.
Daniel Riccardo had his final outing for the McLaren-outfit in Abu Dhabi last Sunday. The Woking-based team has decided to part ways with the Australian, who consequentially won’t be on the grid next year. He didn’t let that thought influence his race weekend too much.
“I didn’t want to be overridden with emotions and a lot of like nostalgia and all these things. I was just trying to stay focussed and certainly trying to absorb everything and appreciate it, but ultimately still stay focussed, and try to focus on obviously the 58-lap race.”
The race was a positive one: after a nice battle with departing colleague Sebastian Vettel he crossed the line in 9th, adding 2 points to his season’s total of 37, the same amount as Vettel had amassed.
“I felt like I attacked well and defended well, and I was quite sure Vettel was gonna get me at the rate he was closing. So, to hold him off that made me proud and Lewis’ misfortune meant that Seb got the last ever point of his career, so that made me a little happier for him as well.”
The 9th place required some grit from the 33-year-old from Perth, as he was dropped three places on the grid thanks to the collision he had with Kevin Magnussen in Brazil the week prior, making him start from P13. It didn’t bother him for too long as he took full responsibility for the incident:
“It’s hard to kinda come to terms with it, but then I watched it and the following day as well. I was like, it was a misjudgement on my part and ultimately I obviously ruined both our races, so I feel like the penalty was justified. So, I couldn’t blame anyone but myself and you know for that I took it. Let’s say, once I accepted that, I was then just focused on trying obviously the best race I could.”
All in all Ricciardo could look back on a solid performance during his (for now) final Grand Prix, leaving Abu Dhabi with a content feeling.
“I’m relieved also that the season finished like this and not like the race in Brazil. I think, you know, to see the chequered flag, to finish in the points just makes me a little more at peace with how this year’s ended.”
“I still had a battle with Vettel at the end and just, I feel a bit more content with my performance. So, for that I’m relieved.”
