The Azerbaijan F1 Grand Prix – with its 2 km long main straight and mind-bogglingly narrow sections – served up its annual dose of excitement on Sunday. And while the results were familiar (yes, another Mercedes-AMG one-two), there were no lack of overtaking and on-track skirmishes.
But one instance stood out in a most bizarre manner when Daniel Ricciardo of Renault F1, while attempting to get back on the circuit after overrunning the tight Turn 3, reversed into his ex-Red Bull teammate Daniil Kyvat (now driving for Torro Rosso) before checking his mirrors.
The seemingly low speed impact was innocuous-looking enough and generated a few pieces of carbon fibre as souvenirs for the marshals, but it also meant an early bath for Honey Badger, as the gutsy Ricciardo is fondly known and Daniil Kyvat a.k.a. Torpedo, who for once found himself at the receiving end of errant driving usually associated with the Russian.
Aside from yet another DNF for Ricciardo (this makes 3 out of 4 races so far) in what is turning out to be a rough start at Renault, he will be penalised three grid slots in the next grand prix at Barcelona, Spain for the embarrassing manoeuvre. Watch his reaction here, we think we know how the Aussie feels.
