F1 News: Daniel Ricciardo Livid After Crash - 'F*** the Guy!'

Daniel Ricciardo's frustration boiled over after a crash with Lance Stroll during the Chinese GP.

Daniel Ricciardo of Australia and Visa Cash App RB, Alan Permane, Racing Director at Visa Cash App RB and race engineer Pierre Hamelin talk on the grid prior to the F1 Grand Prix of China at Shanghai International Circuit on April 21, 2024 in Shanghai, China. / Photo by Peter Fox/Getty Images

Daniel Ricciardo's hopes for a points finish at the Chinese Grand Prix were dashed following a collision caused by Lance Stroll. The incident, which occurred during a safety car restart, prompted a heated response from Ricciardo.

The Chinese Grand Prix, held this past weekend, saw tensions flare when Daniel Ricciardo and Lance Stroll were involved in a contentious collision. The mishap occurred just as the race was restarting after a safety car period, setting the stage for what would be a deeply frustrating day for Ricciardo.

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The Australian, who had been in 9th place and on track for a scoring finish, found his race compromised by a chain reaction initially triggered by Fernando Alonso locking up ahead of the pack. This caused a concertina effect, with Ricciardo striking the back of Oscar Piastri's car before Stroll made significant contact with Ricciardo's McLaren, lifting its rear off the track and causing irreparable damage to the rear wing.

The incident forced Ricciardo to retire from the race prematurely, continuing his challenging return to Formula One racing. Post-collision, Ricciardo was candid about his frustrations, attributing the cause directly to Stroll's lack of situational awareness during the restart.

"Apparently I am the idiot here and it was my fault. I'm really trying my best not to say what I want to say, but f*** the guy," he told Motorsport-total.com. "If he watches it again in an hour he will blame himself. But if not, I can't help him," Ricciardo expressed heatedly.

He further criticized the nature of the incident, stressing that such accidents should not occur, especially under safety car conditions.

"Sure, these things happen, but this should never happen behind the safety car. I watched his on-board footage to see it from his perspective. You can see that, the moment he brakes, he's immediately looking at the apex of turn 14.

"He is not looking at me at all and when he does look, he is already on my tail. Yes, we're all stuck, but it's a hairpin. It's not like he pushed me and gave me a puncture. He just drove under my car."

Stroll, for his part, received a ten-second penalty from the race stewards for causing the collision, although he conveyed confusion and disagreement over the team radio concerning the decision.