Daniel Ricciardo was left surprised by Sergio Perez and Lewis Hamilton at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on Sunday.
The Renault driver scored his second podium in three races at Imola, benefitting first from Max Verstappen dropping out with a tyre failure, and then Sergio Perez’s decision to pit under the subsequent Safety Car.
“I was honestly surprised to see him box,” Ricciardo told Sky Sports.
“He was quicker than us today and that is the truth. If he stays out with the same car, same tyres he should hold on to third so yeah…very surprised he boxed.”
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As for why the Aussie opted to stay out, he added: “The team asked how my tyres were and I said I was happy. I think that was enough for them to keep me out.
“I was happier to go out swinging and if Perez came through and passed me then that’s what we would have been anyway [P4].
“Definitely the right call and I was also surprised to see [Daniil] Kvyat [in fourth].”
Unlike at the Nurburgring three weeks ago, Ricciardo made sure to remember his podium ritual of drinking champagne from his racing boot at Imola.
But then came the other shock as he found a willing drinking buddy in one Lewis Hamilton.
“I think they [the Aussies] will be dancing because I didn’t forget the shoey this time,” he said.
“I was about to drink a beautiful, fresh shoey and I heard Lewis say ‘take your other shoe off’.
“I was like ‘no’, because honestly three years ago on the podium he goes ‘I will never ever do that, I will never drink it. You can offer but I’ll never do it’.
“But he asked for it today and that took me by surprise. 2020 is the year of the strange though so it was good fun.”
Ricciardo’s third place put him 10 points clear of Charles Leclerc in fourth in the Drivers’ Championship, while it also lifted to Renault to third in the Constructors’, a single point ahead of McLaren and Racing Point.
