Some folks puzzled whether or not it was a good suggestion to increase Daniel Ricciardo’s contract to subsequent 12 months, given Liam Lawson’s good performances whereas the Australian was in restoration after breaking his wrist earlier this 12 months, shortly after changing Nyck de Vries.
Throughout Saturday’s qualifying session, Ricciardo stumped everybody when he made all of it the way in which to Q3. After which Sergio Perez’s seat at Crimson Bull was as soon as once more questioned after Ricciardo managed to slap the AlphaTauri in fourth forward of Perez in an RB19.
Ricciardo misplaced just a few locations and completed in seventh, lower than a second behind George Russell’s Mercedes. Not solely did he catch Russell, but when he had two or three extra laps, he would have been battling him. The truth that an AlphaTauri was even in rivalry is an enormous credit score to Danny Ric’s driving, and his six factors have been well-earned.
These six factors have been sufficient to advertise AlphaTauri to eighth place within the constructors’ standings, which is price roughly $20 million in prize cash above Alfa Romeo in ninth. The automotive it began the season with was atrocious. A Honda Accord Hybrid may have lapped a circuit quicker. However just a few upgrades and two new drivers in, and it is immediately wanting good.