Hungary delight for Ricciardo after podium

Daniel Ricciardo was delighted as he returned to the podium for the third consecutive race in Hungary on Sunday.
Daniel Ricciardo on the podium in HungaryDaniel Ricciardo on the podium in Hungary
Daniel Ricciardo on the podium in Hungary

The Australian was best of the rest behind the dominant Mercedes duo, as Lewis Hamilton won the race ahead of team-mate Nico Rosberg, taking over the championship lead from the German in the process.

Ricciardo, starting third, briefly took second spot after a bold move around the outside of Turn 1 on the opening lap, but he was quickly retaken by Rosberg into Turn 2, leaving the Red Bull Racing man to take a relatively simple third place.

A late surge from Sebastian Vettel in the Ferrari kept Ricciardo on his toes in the closing laps, but he was able to hold on to take his first podium finish since the Monaco Grand Prix in May.

“I’m really pleased with a podium today,” he said. “I don’t think we could have got a win. We tried at the start; we had a good run off the line and at the apex the Mercs were in my blind spot, so I thought I was in the lead, but on the exit I was done by Lewis (Hamilton) and then Nico (Rosberg) got me round the outside of Turn 2.

“I think even if we had got the lead, their pace was good so they could have even over-cut us if they stayed out an extra lap. Third was the best we could do and Seb (Vettel) got really close in the last three laps; my tyres were getting towards the end, so coming over the line in third was good.

“Three podiums in a row here is great, it’s a good place for me.”