Frustrated Ricciardo wishes he 'could have done more'

©Renault

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Daniel Ricciardo cast a dejected figure after his exit from qualifying in Q2, the Renault driver feeling massively frustrated by his and his team's fate on Saturday afternoon.

It was anything but a smooth qualifying session for the French outfit which had started its day on the back foot, its crews having to deal with a cooling issue that kept both its cars in the garage during FP3.

While Ricciardo and teammate Nico Hulkenberg progressed into Q2, that's as good as it got for the pair who will line up respectively P13 and P12 on the Mexican Grand Prix grid.

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"It’s frustrating not to have finished higher up, but I just couldn’t execute it today," lamented Ricciardo, who sat on pole in Mexico twelve months ago with Red Bull.

"Firstly, the team did an awesome job to get ourselves out of a difficult situation. It wasn’t easy out there, but we made a good start in Q1, which was relatively smooth, but Q2 was just a bit messy."

After his exit from qualifying, Ricciardo's body language and outburst offered a clear indication of the Aussie's level of rage and frustration.

"I wanted to do better, I wanted to do more," he added.

"I don't want to say 'poor us' – it is what it is, but all the boys, that late night last night and this morning, getting both cars ready for quali… I just wish I could've done more and I think that's the frustration.

"I wish I could be the hero today and bring everyone up.

"When I say 'I wish', I also believe I can, that's, I think, where the rage comes from in myself.

"Then again I probably sometimes expect too much from myself, but there is a part of me which does believe I can do it, so that's where it comes from. And I hate losing.

"We’ll try and bounce back tomorrow. I’m sure to be feeling fired up."

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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.