Daniel Ricciardo felt he "used everything" despite just coming up short in a late charge for that elusive first Renault podium in the Belgian Grand Prix.

The Australian was running a solid fourth in the first part of the race, but would drop back quite significantly from Max Verstappen after being held up by Sergio Perez and Pierre Gasly, who opted not to pit in the safety car period caused by Antonio Giovinazzi and George Russell's crash.

As the leading cars began to struggle with tyre life late on though, Ricciardo closed up significantly in the final laps, including setting the fastest lap on the last tour, finishing just 3.4s behind the Red Bull.

“I honestly felt like the ‘pin was out’ as soon as I passed Gasly really, the pin was out,” he said of his pace.

“It just came to me. I think fighting with Perez and Gasly, the tyres overheat so it takes a few laps for them to come back and once it did, it crept up and crept up.

“I wasn’t really leaving anything on the table and then the last lap I put everything into it but that wasn’t sustainable to hit those laps for much longer. I feel like I used everything.”

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Such has been the straight-line speed of the Renault, it was thought Ricciardo could be a factor right at the front on the run to Les Combes on Lap 1.

Ultimately, despite running wheel-to-wheel with his former teammate through the chicane, he didn't gain anything, but that didn't frustrate the 'Honey Badger'.

“Don’t get me wrong I was trying to overtake but it was always an element of will they be a bit quicker,” Ricciardo explained.

“Yes. I was trying to overtake and if he would have passed me later so be it but it wasn’t worth putting myself out in the first few corners, that is what I am trying to say. I was there, I was obviously trying but keeping that 1% of maturity and discipline in me.”

Danny's fourth place plus the fastest lap point was backed up by the other Renault of Esteban Ocon, who passed Alex Albon on the final lap to claim fifth, meaning the French manufacturer scored their highest ever single race points total with 23.

“The car’s been quick,” Ocon commented. “We’re turning a very difficult weekend like Barcelona to a very, very positive one here. Massive improvement. Very happy and pleased with that.

"It smells good as well because next week [at Monza], I think the track will have the same characteristic, even more extreme so we should be at ease as well. We’re going to try and do the same, or even better.”