'Bad luck' rather than poor strategy leaves Ricciardo P12

Daniel Ricciardo was counting on launching his Hungarian Grand Prix from the front row, but bad luck and the elements will put the Red Bull driver a lowly P12 on Sunday's grid.

Unexpected rain threw a spanner into everyone's works just as qualifying got underway, with sporadic drizzles followed by a proper shower making for a difficult session.

Ricciardo was the odd man out in Q1, circulating around the Hungaroring on Pirelli's soft rubber while everyone was frantically running on the ultrasoft compound.

Ultimately, the Aussie made the first cut, but just barely. The wet track and random timing of the weather determined the outcome of his session thereafter.

"I think more bad luck than anything," Ricciardo answered when asked by Sky F1 if his disappointing performance had been determined by luck or strategy.

"The strategy, we took a risk in Q1 using the soft. I think in hindsight we should have gone on the ultra and just be safe. That was too close," he admitted.

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"But we did have a soft to use for Q1 in dry conditions, that was always the plan. It's not like it was against the plan but it was closer than we wanted it to be.

"And then in Q2, so the rain came. So first guy on track was getting the best track, and it just got worse and worse, so not only to be further in the pack but also you needed to get that first lap in."

Ricciardo then rued his encounter with the stranded Williams of Lance Stroll that ruined his effort at that point.

"Stroll spun in front of me so I had to abort that lap, and then the following lap was too wet for the inter.

"The last sector was just trying to survive, so we had to put the extreme on but the track was nowhere near what it was in the beginning."

Riccardo, the master overtaker, knows he'll have his work cut out for him on race day, with opportunities to pass at an absolute premium around Hungaroring's tight and twisty track.

"Tomorrow I have a fight on my hands, starting 12th, thats' going to be interesting," he admitted.

"I'll sleep tonight, I'll come tomorrow fired up and pull off some clean moves. If not, then I'll use a few guys as my brakes!"

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