Daniel Ricciardo says ♚he is “really encouraged” by Renault’s performance at the United States Grand Prix as he finished as the top midfield runner.

Despite ending up around six-tenths behind both 🦹McLaren drivers in qualifying, Ricciardo and Renault turned the tables on its closes𝓀t midfield rival in the race to claim a ‘best of the rest’ sixth place ahead of Lando Norris. 

Ricciardo had already conceded earlier in the Austin weekend that McLaren was 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:now out of reach in the battle for fourth spot in the constructors’ championship. The French manufa൩cturer tr🍷ails its customer team by 38 points with just two races remaining.

“Th🍎e start was fun and the first lap was cool,” Ricciardo said.

"I went back and fort🍸h a bit with Lando. Initially got him, he got me🌊 back and then I got him a few laps later.

“Then he could see that his one stop was no♋t going to work behind me, so they called him in for a two-stopper.

“Actually just before that [Alexander] Albon had boxed for a tw🍸o and I know that he has more pace wi✨th the Red Bull but he came back through us so quickly.

"So when I knew that Lando had pitted for a two stop, I feared that the last fewꦅ laps of the race were going to be not too fun. He got on my gearbox i🃏n the last corner. But we held him off.

“One more lap and the two stop had us. It was nice to be sixth and beat them and get more points.🌱 Two good weekends in a row now, it is nice.”

Asked if he finds Renault’s strong showing encouraging, Ricciardo replied: “It is. We know a few reasons why. Even Friday I was not strong on the long runs.

“So to come ওout here and be the best of the rest and to beat the McLarens, even when I think the two stop was the faster race 𝓡in the end, that is really encouraging.

“So we will try and figure out wh✅y, how, but we will take it and go and enjoy it tonight.”