Daniel Ricciardo will line up on the second row of the grid for the 2016 Canadian Grand Prix, after qualifying in fourth place on Saturday, just four tenths off the time set by pole leader Lewis Hamilton.
The Australian’s final lap allowed him to move ahead of his Red Bull Racing team-mate Max Verstappen, despite tagging the wall of champions on his way to the start/finish line, and Ricciardo was pleased with his effort.
“I’m pretty happy. This weekend was steady – I think we built up to it and found a better rhythm in qualifying, and as always it’s the most important session, so I made sure I got it all together.
“My pace is only a few tenths from pole which is pretty good around here. I was quite lucky on my last lap in the last chicane, I hit the wall pretty hard and luckily it got me to the line and I didn’t lose too much time. The start is important here, but you can pass. I think we’ve got pretty good straight line speed now so we’re in a position to overtake.”
With such a close margin between the top four drivers, it should hopefully make for an exciting race, which Ricciardo will be hoping to capitalise on, at a track where he won his first ever F1 Grand Prix. The Australian is ready for the challenge and up for taking some risks to maximise his chances.
“Tomorrow’s going to be cool, if not wet, so with those conditions it could be anyone’s race. Hopefully it’s a five or six way fight – that could be a lot of fun. I think being on the right tyre at the right time is crucial. It’s about being smart, but being quick at the same time, so it’s worth taking some risks.”
