Ricciardo 'content' with P4 after a weekend of minor struggles

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Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo says his Canadian Grand Prix weekend was impacted by small engine issues that set him back slightly compared to team mate Max Verstappen.

The Aussie concluded his Sunday in fourth place, just edging out Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton while finishing 12 seconds behind Verstappen.

Ricciardo attributed the minor under-performance to the laborious process of setting up his new-spec Renault engine.

"We had the upgrade this weekend and my car struggled more with the driveability, the calibration," he said.

"It could have been better, let's say that. I was just struggling to keep the tyres under control with that driveability.

"I would say it explains some of the inconsistency. But also Max was driving really well all weekend, so I won't take that away from him."

Vettel wins in Canada to wipe out Hamilton's title lead

Still, Ricciardo deemed himself content with his performance and the ensuing bag of points, underlining the feat of finishing ahead of Hamilton.

But he also admitted it had been a relief to reach the end of the weekend without incurring issues linked to his much talked about MGU-K element, expecting nevertheless to be hit with a grid drop sooner rather than later.

"I'm pretty happy we got through the whole weekend," he said.

"We got some good points, I believe we gained two points in the championship because we got Lewis [who lost the lead to race winner Sebastian Vettel.

"We'll see what happens. It'll bite us soon, we'll try to stay on top while we can.

"I'm relatively content for a fourth place," We did all we could. For us to take a few points away is a little win, and gives us a lot of encouragement."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.