Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull, Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, 2018

Red Bull drivers intend to avoid another Baku “heart attack” moment

2018 Mexican Grand Prix

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Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen intend to avoid a repeat of the clash which put both drivers out in Baku, after locking out the front row in Mexico.

“No one wants to fight like Baku,” said Ricciardo when asked if there was any danger of their pair giving Red Bull team principal Christian Horner a ‘heart attack’.

“Hopefully no heart attacks tomorrow,” he said. “Heart attacks of celebration and joy.”

The pair collided when Ricciardo was trying to overtake Verstappen during the race. Both drivers were given reprimands for the incident.

Verstappen, who was unhappy after Ricciardo pipped him to pole position by less than three hundredths of a second, said “I don’t even think about Baku any more.”

Ricciardo said he didn’t think he was going to get pole position after the first sector of his final lap left him behind Verstappen.

“I knew the pace was there it was just a matter of putting it together,” he said. “To be honest, the first sector wasn’t that good, so I was surprised to have probably got the pole after that.

Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull, Baku City Circuit, 2018
Baku was a low point for Red Bull
“I saw the second and third sector were strong and that’s where I made the difference. But I wasn’t convinced after the first sector that I was on for pole, put it that way.

“I knew the previous lap wasn’t particularly clean and I was able to get a bit more out of it. It was fun, it was very close, but it felt good.”

Ricciardo, whose last pole position came in the Monaco Grand Prix, admitted he “let a bit out once I heard I get pole.”

“But I held a lot in, I’ve got to save some energy for tomorrow.”

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Daniel Ricciardo’s radio after taking pole position

To Ricciardo:OK reverse on. You are P1 just Verstappen to finish his lap.
To Ricciardo:Its going to be pretty close.
To Ricciardo:Just Hamilton to finish his lap now. Currently you are still P1.
To Ricciardo:And you finished P1, nice job mate.
Ricciardo:Ah! Hahaha! Woo! Yes!
To Ricciardo:That was a very good lap, nice job.
To Ricciardo:Well done Daniel that was a mega lap, mega lap, well done.
Ricciardo:Thanks legends.
To Ricciardo:Right you need to speed up you need to be negative push a bit more please, negative on the way in. I know you’re having a nice time but positive is not good, speed up.
To Ricciardo:Turn reverse off, no problem with that. So keep pushing hard on the way in please.
To Ricciardo:And we are going to the grid. Once you get out of the last corner go past the pit exit, stay out.
To Ricciardo:OK go reverse on you can chill out again.
Ricciardo:Ha, I’m fucking stoked.
To Ricciardo:I can tell.
To Ricciardo:OK joining you on the grid will be Verstappen, three hundredths, and Hamilton a tenth behind you. Nice job mate. And P zero please.

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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11 comments on “Red Bull drivers intend to avoid another Baku “heart attack” moment”

  1. It’ll be a bit of miracle if Red Bull do manage a 1-2, partly down to the likelihood of the two drivers battling at some point, but mostly down to car reliability. Still, actually hope Ricciardo can get a final win for the team and leave on a high note. (And no I’m not buying Raikkonen’s line that he didn’t really care about leaving Ferrari with a win finally this year.)

    1. Yes, I think raikkonen must be actually very happy about that win.

      And personally I’d have preferred a pole from verstappen cause I think he deserved to be the youngest pole sitter overall, however he wasted monaco 2018 great chance for it, and a win for ricciardo for the same reasons you said, or at least a podium, verstappen got a lot already lately.

      Most importantly I hope for reliability for red bull and that they don’t do a baku repeat; ferrari and mercedes should be competitive, so could be a good race with red bull seriously in the mix.

  2. Well Max will 100% try to overtake him after the start. Let’s see what happens

    1. As he should. However I’m a little concerned about the way in which he’ll attempt it.
      If he ends up wrecking them, I doubt it will be a wall that Dans fist is aimed at, particularly if Marko supports Max even if it’s clear he was the one at fault.

      Going to be a hell of a start though.

      1. This is my concern also.
        Max tends to drive better, calmer, more maturely in the later half of the season though so hopefully he wont do anything rash.
        I really want to see both these guys on the podium later today, I think they both deserve it.

  3. If the picture is any indication Verstappen has zero care about what Ricciardo is saying he is obviously bitter about his “crappy” qualifying.
    Verstappen is currently in front of Ricciardo and even if both have DNFs Verstappen maintains his lead. Verstappen says he does not even think about Baku anymore, yet I wonder if when the red mist descends over his eyes tomorrow. Can he stop himself from losing it and wrecking the race.

  4. That photo…You’ve got to love these two. They star in all kind of silly internet movies and now they act like true Hollywood stars on and off the track with drama and joy. I do not know what they are paying them, but it is not enough. Looking forward to episode 2 on sunday. Bring on the show!

    1. LOL – don’t give Liberty Media ideas please.
      We don’t need the “Dan&Max go Wacky” show at the start of every race! ;)

  5. One wonders if the RBR car had been more competitive this year whether the qualifying would have been so skewed.

    Dan proving again that he still has it in qualifying when there’s a pole to be had.

    I think next year we might see him back to his qualifying best even though he won’t be lining the Renault up so close to the front.

  6. Max will either be in front of Daniel after 3 corners or they will both crash out. You can tell only by looking at that picture, no matter what they say ;)

  7. ”I’m F stoked.” – LOL.

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