Ricciardo sanctioned with three-place grid penalty for Miami

Daniel Ricciardo has been handed a three-place grid penalty for breaching Safety Car regulations during the Chinese Grand Prix, a loss he is set to serve in two weeks time in Miami. 

Daniel Ricciardo’s misfortune became just part of the action-packed 56-lap race in Shanghai this evening after he was hit from behind by an unaware Lance Stroll at the Turn 14 hairpin.

As a result, the Australian sustained significant damage to his diffuser and floor, prematurely forcing him onto the sidelines in what was set to be his race of recovery.

Despite Ricciardo’s race ending on Lap 34, the pain wasn’t over, with the #3 now being penalised for an overtake he made just laps earlier after yellow flag conditions were upgraded to a Safety Car.

Ricciardo was called to see the stewards after the chequered flag, with the RB driver unsuccessfully stating his case over a moment involving Nico Hulkenberg.

The Australian was found guilty of overtaking the Haas driver behind the Safety Car and what would usually be a 10-second penalty to be served during the race was postponed to a three-place penalty to be served next time out.

“The driver of Car 3 [Ricciardo] admitted that he overtook Car 27 [Hulkenberg] deliberately, but he explained that he felt that he could do so because Car 27 had overtaken him under Safety Car before on lap 28,” the statement. 

“We note that Car 27 was permitted to overtake Car 3 on lap 28 because of Article 55.8.

“There was no justifiable basis for Car 3 to overtake Car 27 while the race was under Safety Car conditions. 

“We accordingly imposed a 10-second time penalty on Car 3.

“As Car 3 was unable to serve the penalty due to retirement, we imposed a three-grid place penalty to Car 3 for the next race in which the driver participates.”

Ricciardo will leave China with a different kind of points haul than he was hoping for, also being given two penalty points for the incident.

The Miami Grand Prix will provide Ricciardo with two positive points-scoring opportunities as it runs as the second Sprint weekend of the season, with his task, already analysed by so many, now made all the more difficult. 

The Miami Grand Prix runs from May 3-5 at the Miami International Autodrome, however, it will be three very early mornings for Australian fans with FP1 taking place at 2:30 AM, AEST, on May 4.

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