Daniel Ricciardo put his fifth in the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix on par with sixth in the Australian GP as the most personally fulfilling results of the season.
After a difficult campaign, Ricciardo recorded his best finish of the year in Marina Bay when a combination of promising pace and canny strategy from McLaren nabbed a strong haul of points.
It left the 33-year-old in a jovial mood post-race, equating it to his drive to sixth in Albert Park as his best of the season.
“I feel it was a 33-year-old drive,” he said when asked about his performance by Speedcafe.com.
“In terms of just being like, you know, at times I didn’t have always the pace as the track started to dry.
“On the inter[mediate tyre] I was like, starting to get a bit antsy, like ‘guys, I’m not that quick right now – let’s put a slick on and just see what it does’.
“But then it was like, okay, it’s kind of a sporadic or emotional decision, so we kept the conversation going and I think that’s ultimately what put us in a top five position.
“It’s not often you come from 16th to fifth here, so I’ll take it,” he added.
“This and Australia, I had fun in Australia, too. It’s nice to get a good one at home.”
Heaving rain pre-race saw the start time pushed back by more than an hour.
The field in its entirety opted for intermediate tyres to begin with, switching onto dry rubber in the middle phase of the race once the standing water cleared.
That crossover combined handily with the Safety Car for Ricciardo who took to the lane to gain track position on his rivals.
The Australian had gained three places coming on the opening lap before slowly climbing to 10th as those ahead of him pitted or struck trouble.
The all-important Safety Car came on Lap 36, Ricciardo pitting and emerging in sixth position.
That became fifth when Max Verstappen locked up and pitted for a new set of tyres on Lap 40, Ricciardo holding the spot to the chequered flag.
Key to the progress forward was deciding to stay on track while others began pitting for slicks.
“At one point, honestly, I left it to them,” Ricciardo explained when asked by Speedcafe.com whether he or the team drove the strategy as conditions changed.
“We were talking a bit about the slick, and the track, and where it’s dry, where it’s wet.
“Tom [Stallard, Race Engineer] was giving me information about [Pierre] Gasly and he said he’s still a bit slower here and here and there; this sector, that sector.
“So obviously they had in a way more information. I was giving track conditions, I was saying it’s still quite wet, like the places where it’s wet, it’s still very wet.
“I remember, I think between Turn 13 [and Turn] 14 on that back straight, I think at one point I just said ‘I’m going to leave it with you guys, whatever you think is best’.
“A few corners later, Tom said ‘look, we’re still quicker than Gasly, I suggest we still stay out. And I said ‘let’s do it’, and obviously that then bought us time to allow a Safety Car.”
While a strong result for Ricciardo individually, it has greater context as far as the team goes.
With Lando Norris finishing fourth, Singapore marked McLaren’s highest points haul of the season and came in a race when Alpine scored nothing – both its cars suffering engine issues.
It means the Papaya squad has reclaimed fourth in the constructors’ championship – a development that was almost unfathomable heading into the race.
“There’s a lot of positives to take from today,” Ricciardo said.
“You’ve got to cash in, and it’s one of those days where it’s unlikely we get another big day like this when Alpine don’t.
“I’m just happy that, as I said, we cashed in when we could have, should have, and finally both sides of the garage.
“Obviously I’m aware that the championship situation and the lack of points I’ve been able to get this year, it’s certainly been pretty sad,” he added.
“So to contribute on a day when we certainly needed to, obviously with both Alpines retiring, that was big for us.
“Happy to have done my job.”
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