Brendan Lines.   July 17, 2020 03:45pm

Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo says the incident with Racing Point’s Lance Stroll that saw him drop from sixth to eighth at the Styrian Grand Prix will be discussed among the drivers this weekend as the Australian prepares for tonight’s FP1 at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Ricciardo took issue with Canadian, Stroll’s move on the penultimate lap which he considers a ‘failed attempt’ to pass.

The Australian said to The Race he does not want the sport’s rules to discourage racing.

“I’ve never wanted to have the rules so tight that it discourages us to race, so I don’t want to feel we’re kind of driving on eggshells and scared to pull the trigger,” he said.

“But there’s trying and also failing. Both of us went off track – me because obviously if I turn in, we crash, but he also brought himself off the track with us.

“So he tried a move, which he was completely in his right to do so. I left room, which I guess I shouldn’t have, but he tried and because we both went off I see that as a failed attempt, so the position should have been given back.”

Ricciardo says drivers would agree with him, “I can’t see any drivers saying, ‘yeah, that’s a clean move’,  insisting drivers and stewards should be reminded of the rules at briefings over the weekend — rather than make it a personal issue with the Canadian.

“So I don’t think it’s necessarily something that you need to discuss with the driver, as if [to say] ‘yeah, that was a dirty move, what were you thinking,’ he said.

“It’s more that this needs to be spoken to as a group, with us drivers and the stewards together to try and educate everyone on what we think is right and wrong.”

Renault has wrested with mixed results from the opening rounds at the Red Bull Ring, coming away with 8 Constructors Championship points, but consecutive DNFs related to the same cooling issue.

However the tight, high downforce nature of the the Hungaroring  is a different beast, and one that has been kind to Ricciardo.

Dan Ricciardo’s Hungarian GP key Stats:

9 Starts

3rd Best grid position

1st Best finish

67 Points

1:16.818 Fastest qualifying (2017)

1:20.012 Fastest lap (2018)

7 Average points

551 Raced laps

2,413 Raced KM

The Aussie took his second career win at the Hungaroring in 2014 in a Renault-powered Red Bull, in contrast his current Renault factory team hasn’t had the same success in recent years.

Ricciardo believes the gains the team has made in aerodynamic efficiency will allow Renault to perform better following in the ‘dirty air’ of other cars. Ricciardo (AUS) Renault F1 Team RS20. Steiermark Grand Prix, Sunday 12th July 2020. Spielberg, Austria.

The field is likely to be more ‘bunched’ on a circuit that boasts one of the lowest top speeds (318kph) and on average more lap-time cornering than straight line racing.

“The downforce and the package we have is a bit more efficient, and I think on low fuel the rear of the car has improved a lot.

“So traction, if we look at our overlays from last year, we’re just getting to full throttle considerably earlier.

“The rear of the car is certainly at the moment the strength compared to this time last year.”

Daniel Ricciardo chases down teammate Esteban Ocon at the Styrian Gp – Image Autosport.com

Ricciardo displayed the R.S.20’s prowess in his hunt and pass of teammate Esteban Ocon at the Red Bull Ring last week on medium tyres.

What will be interesting to watch is Ricciardo’s one-lap pace in qualifying on the soft tyres on low fuel, if everything that’s been said is true we’ll see Renault’s improvement in outright pace.

FP1 for the Hungarian Grand Prix begins