'What a day!': Aussie Ricciardo ends podium drought

Australia’s Daniel Ricciardo ended Renault’s Formula 1® podium drought after finishing third at the Eifel Grand Prix in Germany.

The result was Ricciardo’s first in the top three since his win with Red Bull Racing at Monaco in 2018 and the first podium for Renault since Malaysia 2011.

Ricciardo, who started from sixth on the grid at the Nurburgring, continued Renault’s impressive form throughout the middle of the 2020 F1® season.

The early race retirement of Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes), who qualified in pole position, gave Ricciardo the opportunity to battle for his first top-three finish in yellow and black.

But the podium did not come easily, as Racing Point’s Sergio Perez continued to pressure Ricciardo until the chequered flag.

“Oh wow, it feels like the first time I ever got a podium,” Ricciardo said after the race.

“These emotions and that feeling you get when you get out the car, hug the team, the mechanics slapping you on the helmet, it’s just amazing and I am so happy we did it.

“It’s obviously my first one with Renault and it’s something I wanted to achieve when I set out on this journey with the team.

“It’s been two and a half years since I’ve been in this press conference too, so it’s been a while for me. I felt like it was coming with our performances in recent races, so I am so happy to have done it. What a day!”

The race was won by Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), who equalled legendary driver Michael Schumacher’s all-time record of 91 Formula 1® victories, followed by Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing) and Ricciardo.

F1® returns to racing in a fortnight’s time for the Portuguese Grand Prix at Portimao, scheduled for 23-25 October.