Daniel Ricciardo laments 'average' Red Bull calls at the Canadian GP
"A few of the pitstops and calls were a bit average again," says Ricciardo after struggling to P7 in Canada
Monday 20 June 2016 13:32, UK
Daniel Ricciardo admits both he and Red Bull had a scrappy day at the Canadian GP - but said his team's strategy calls were a "bit average".
On the back of consecutive races where he felt decisions from the pit wall cost him victories, Ricciardo lost fourth place to Max Verstappen at the start but told his team that he felt he was quicker during the opening stint.
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Although Red Bull told the teenager not to hold Ricciardo up, they didn't instruct him to move aside directly, a decision the Australian did not agree with as he finished seventh to his team-mate's fourth.
A frustrating race behind Kimi Raikkonen followed and Ricciardo's misery was compounded when a second stop - due to a flat spot - was delayed as mechanics struggled to fit the front right tyre.
"There were a few scrappy parts from my side and I would say the team's side," he told Sky F1. "Today was not a clean race from both of us.
"I locked a brake into Turn 13, then a few of the pitstops and calls were a bit average again. We've got to clean some things up for Sunday [the European GP]."
It was Ricciardo's first race since the disappointment of losing a likely win at the Monaco GP due to his tyres not being available at his pitstop, and his discontent was evident.
Asked if he felt the call not to be allowed to pass his team-mate had an impact, he added: "I think a pretty big difference, but obviously it's done now. No point saying what could've been.
"I said on the radio that I thought we could be quicker in clean air. It's just always when we were behind someone we couldn't use the tyres any more and even with the long DRS straights we couldn't get close enough to pass.
"Unfortunately we've had good Saturdays, but not great Sundays. We couldn't get a break."
