Daniel Ricciardo deemed himself “proud” of his second season at Renault after ending with the fastest lap at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The Australian was a bit miffed after failing to make Q3 on Saturday, but used his free tyre choice to run long in his first stint, capitalising on the free air of running fifth when the other midfield runners ahead pitted early under the Safety Car.
That enabled Ricciardo to come out eighth when he did finally pit before passing Pierre Gasly and scoring the fastest lap on the last lap to finish seventh.
“It was really important, it set up the race,” Ricciardo said of using the alternative strategy. “Last night we weren’t convinced on starting on a hard tyre, but today we came around to the idea and obviously it was the right call.
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“I didn’t know if the Safety Car was going to hurt or help us, but I was able to hold off the guys on the new tyre, settle into my rhythm and pull the gap. It was nice.
“I know I just get a point for fastest lap, it doesn’t change the championship but I think, just the way to send off these two years at Renault, being the fastest till the very end, that was just a little sentimental value there.”
Ultimately, P7 wasn’t enough for Ricciardo to catch Sergio Perez for ‘best of the rest’ in the Drivers’ Championship, while Renault also settled in fifth in the Constructors’ standings.
But in a year which saw the ‘Honey Badger’ claim two podiums and now leave the French manufacturer in a strong position going forward, he considered it a success.
“This year was great,” he said. “Last year had some highs but there weren’t enough of them and we did feel that that last year was an underachievement so to turn it around this year, it was strong and we were proud.
“We did obviously just miss out on fourth in constructors’, but fifth in drivers’, I’m really happy personally. It was a really strong year. I thank Renault, I thank Enstone for two years, but actually Viry [Renault’s French power unit factory] for seven. I’ve been racing Renault engines since the hybrid era.
“I’m personally happy with how it ended for me, I felt like I did all that I could, and obviously the bonus is I now walk in to the team [McLaren] that got third [in the Constructors’ Championship] so it’s a big day for them as well.”
In the meantime, however, Ricciardo is ready for a rest.
“This was an intense six months,” he said of the 17-race schedule in just 161 days. “I loved it, but it was intense.
“If you told me we had another race next weekend, I don’t know if I’d be that excited so I’m really glad it’s done now. I just want to lay on a couch for a week and not do anything.”