After today’s engine failure, Daniel Ricciardo admits that his current run of poor reliability is “pretty painful”.
During today’s qualifying in Japan Suzuka, Ricciardo in Q2 reported a loss of power. Ricciardo pitted and his mechanics were trying to solve, despite trying hard to fix the problem on Ricciardo’s car he was not able to set a time in Q2.
Ricciardo will be starting the race from P15 tomorrow.
“I just blew out my vocals. I’m so pissed” Ricciardo said following the conclusion of qualifying. “I felt a loss of power out of the last corner, just before I started the lap.
“I knew it was something. Seems terminal. Just can’t catch a break at the moment.”
It marked the latest in a series of reliability problems that have thwarted the Australian’s season, following recent mechanically-induced retirements in Austria, Germany and Italy.
🗣 “As soon as I came through the last chicane to start my fast lap I immediately felt that something was wrong.” @danielricciardo on #Quali at the #JapaneseGP 🇯🇵👉 https://t.co/78jXfDeyay #F1jp pic.twitter.com/6H8cN1psQX
— Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) October 6, 2018
Ricciardo, who will complete a shock switch to Renault for 2019, has not featured on the podium since his victory in May’s Monaco Grand Prix.
When asked if he felt his luck could turn in the race, he replied: “Hopefully, we’ll see.
“Qualifying is important here, like always, but it’s hard to follow and whatever but I’ll do what I can. I don’t know, it’s pretty painful at the moment.”