Renault drivers eager to make up for Japanese GP points loss

Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg say Renault are determined to make up as quickly as possible for the disappointment of losing their points finishes from the Japanese GP.

Making an-already uphill task to catch fourth-placed McLaren even harder over 2019's final four races, Renault had their cars disqualified on Wednesday night from sixth and 10th positions from the last race for falling foul of sporting regulations governing driver aids.

The lost points do not affect Renault's fifth place in the standings but they have put the Enstone team back into a battle with Toro Rosso and Racing Point, who lodged the initial protest. The three teams are now covered by just 10 points.

"I was disappointed because obviously it was a cool race and, actually, I'm still glad I got to do the race because I had a good time doing it," said Ricciardo, who raced from 16th to sixth at Suzuka.

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"Coming back with eight points was one of the biggest results of the year for us. So, for sure, disappointed and reading the legality of it all and all that, it seemed there was a good chance we should and could have kept it.

"But it is what it is now. All the team I feel have already put it behind us and it's like 'let's try and make up for it'. We've got a back-to-back now to get some points back on the table. We've got a chance to get it done."

Hulkenberg, who lost a point for 10th, said: "We are not the rulemakers, we are not the FIA, but it is a bit confusing around the whole thing. For me, we have to accept it now, it's the past, and we move on from here.

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"I don't think it's going to change a great deal for us on track in terms of performance, in terms of competitiveness, so I'm pretty relaxed about that. It's good now that straight away we have a weekend ahead and can get it out of the system, just do our jobs and race again."

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