AlphaTauri driver Daniel Ricciardo has shed light on the incident that led to his recent injury during the second free practice session, revealing that he intentionally crashed into the wall to avert a more serious collision with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.
Ricciardo’s misfortune unfolded during the second free practice session at Zandvoort on Friday. McLaren driver Oscar Piastri lost control of his car, resulting in a crash into the barriers.
In a quick-thinking maneuver, Ricciardo opted to crash into the wall instead of colliding with Piastri in what could have been a more severe accident.
Following the accident, thorough examinations were conducted on Ricciardo, which unveiled a broken metacarpal in his left hand.
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As a consequence of the injury, he has been ruled out of participating in the upcoming Sunday’s Grand Prix, a race that would have marked his second appearance since his return in Hungary, where he substituted for Nyck De Vries.
Reflecting on the unfortunate incident, Ricciardo shared his perspective with RaceFans: “I was very excited to be back after the break.
“The day was going pretty well. We made some changes for FP2 and the few laps I did on the hard tyre before the crash felt good; we were building up and improving.
“At that time, we were pretty competitive, and I was feeling positive.”
Describing the critical moment, he continued: “I remember coming into turn three, I had already gotten into the corner and then saw Piastri, so it was either hit him or the wall.
“When I hit the wall, I didn’t have enough time to take my hands off the steering wheel, so the wheel came and hit my hand.
“It’s really unfortunate and frustrating, but I’ll try to recover as quickly as I can.”
Medical experts will assess the need for potential surgery in the coming days.
“Consequently, Red Bull Junior driver Liam Lawson will stand in for Ricciardo at Zandvoort, and there is a possibility that Lawson might also fill in at Monza.
“Ricciardo conveyed his well-wishes to Lawson, expressing the desire for a swift and strong return.
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He stated, “Obviously, I’d love to get back soon, but I also want to ensure we do things the right way, so I come back strong and competitive.
“I wish the team well, and I’m sorry for the change in plans again.
“It’s a chance for Liam to have a go, and I wish him and the team a strong weekend.”