The remarkable return of Daniel Ricciardo in the top 10

This hadn't happened to him for almost a year. Daniel Ricciardo achieved a remarkable place in Q3, during qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix, to secure a seventh final position on the starting grid. ?It?s great to be in Q3! », expresses the Australian. “It’s the first time since Bahrain last year that I haven’t reached the top 10, it’s been almost a year”, calculates the driver of the Toro Rosso. ?I really want to deliver a solid race tomorrow and give everything I have to make the most of this seventh place on the grid. I think it's going to be an exciting race because today you could see that most of us all waited until the last moment in Q3 to exit, everyone was thinking about saving tires after seeing that the Softs were suffering on the long relays on Friday. »

Whatever happens tomorrow, Daniel Ricciardo believes that his performance is really motivating for the future. “This result will boost everyone's spirits, and mine too, I can't wait for the lights to turn green tomorrow! », says the Australian impatiently, before thanking the people on his team: “People worked so hard at the factory to make the car faster, well done everyone. » The enthusiasm of the driver from Perth contrasts sharply with that of his teammate, Jean-Eric Vergne. Qualified only 16th, the Frenchman had difficulty hiding his disappointment.