Between the lines at the US Grand Prix

Motor Racing - Formula One World Championship - United States Grand Prix - Preparation Day - Austin, USA

Daniel Ricciardo

The Question: A podium here last year, of course, at the Circuit of the Americas, but pointless in three of the last five races, although your best result of the season came during that run, the second place in Singapore. This recent run now means you’re behind your team-mate Daniil Kvyat in the championship. How important to you is it to finish ahead of him at the end of this season?

What Daniel said: I don’t know to be honest. Because we’re not really fighting for the title it’s sort of irrelevant. I think I have missed out a fair few bags of points at various occasions this year. But, yeah, I’m not too worried. Obviously you want to finish in front, I’m not going to lie, but when you’re seventh or eighth in the championship it’s sort of irrelevant. Yeah, the little Russian’s jumped in front of me, but we’ll see. I’m confident I’ll end up with more points, but as I said, I’m not too fussed about it.

What he might have meant to say: It doesn’t matter in the slightest; it’s not relevant at all; totally meaningless. Of course, there was no championship at stake last year when I was beating Sebastian but the fact that I was absolutely hammering him seemed kind of important then…. But, no, no, this is completely different and there is absolutely no significance to the little Russian twerp being ahead of me in the points standings… uppity little b*****d.