RICCIARDO FINISHES 10TH, KVYAT GETS A DNF AT THE U.S. GRAND PRIX

October 26, 2015 by Infiniti

DANIEL RICCIARDO, Finish Position: 10th, Start Position: 3rd

'The beginning was really fun between both Mercs and both Red Bulls. It was a good four-way battle. To see the Mercs not getting away from us was awesome. I was enjoying that. In the lead we were quite quick for a few laps and it felt like old times. That obviously didn't last long and once we put the slicks on we just didn't have the pace. We struggled with the warm up with the tires and also struggled a lot with braking today. It was so tricky in the dry and then obviously there were the collisions with Hulkenberg and Carlos. It went downhill from then on. Even though we were on slicks it was never really dry out there. The curbs were slippery and there was still a bit of a puddle through Turns 9 and 10, so it was definitely tricky. Dany spun off just in front of me on to the astroturf and into the wall. It was a crazy race and I hope the fans enjoyed it as it was quite action packed. Lewis definitely deserves the title. This year he was clearly on top of the rest so congrats and hats off to him for being the 2015 champion.'

DANIIL KVYAT, Finish Position: DNF Start Position: 4th

'The opening laps were mega, it was very enjoyable and it was nice fighting, but then the track dried out. If it was a wet race I felt it could have been a victory today. It's easy to say that, but there's no point really, because once it dried out we were an easy target for everyone, which was a bit frustrating. We weren't able to be as competitive in the dry as in the wet so we'll have to have a look at that. In the dry, I was driving a bit over my limit when I crashed, I put the wheels on the artificial grass, tried to carry a bit more speed but it didn't work out and I'm disappointed with myself. Finally, congratulations and well done to Lewis on winning the Drivers' championship, he's done a really good job this year.'

CHRISTIAN HORNER, Team Principal

'During the first half of the race the performance of our cars looked really encouraging. We were very competitive on the intermediate tires, which allowed Ricciardo to take the lead and build on it, before we made a double stop, bringing both cars in together. The mechanics worked very well to turn them round with Kvyat in third place. So we looked in good shape at that point, but unfortunately, our pace on the dry tires was simply not as competitive as the Mercedes and the Ferrari. In particular, we struggled to get the tires up to temperature at the re-starts, especially after the second Safety Car period. After that, our race unravelled with Daniil's accident, which caused the final Safety Car. Daniel was involved in a collision with Sainz and that meant he needed a further pit stop, after which he fought back to grab the last available point on the last lap. A disappointing finish after a strong start. Finally, congratulations to Lewis Hamilton on defending his World Championship title, the first British driver to do that. He's a deserving champion.'

MATTHIEU DUBOIS, Renault

'It was a hard work for a single point in the end and far from what we expected after qualifying with both cars on the second row. However, there are some positives to take out of this very wet weekend: firstly all four Renault-powered cars raced reliably from an engine point of view, and we congratulate our sister team for their fourth-placed finish. Secondly we managed to put on a good show and gave Mercedes a run for their money during the early stages of the race. Lastly there is no reason why the performance shown during the first half of the race cannot be repeated to achieve much better next week in Mexico.'

Daniel Ricciardo

Q1: So Daniel, what turns you into the head cheerleader for the United States Grand Prix? What do you like about Austin?

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Ricciardo: Everything! I love Austin. Great track, great city, great food, great fans, great people in general, great hotel. Basically, great.

Q2: Start with the track: What do you particularly enjoy about the Circuit of The Americas?

Ricciardo: For a modern-day circuit with lots of runoff, they've done the best job possible. They've created a track that's safe, but managed to ensure it's still fun. It's probably the best overtaking circuit on the calendar.

Q3: And after a hard day of overtaking, what's on the agenda in the city?

Ricciardo: Well, I love live music and I love bars, and I particularly love live music in bars – and as that's what Austin's all about. It's the sort of culture I can really appreciate. I'll also enjoy some beef ­– definitely the city to visit if you like ribs or brisket. Amazing stuff.

Q4: But you stay out in the countryside. Where the snakes are...

Ricciardo:

That's right. We stay out in a hotel on a ranch – which is pretty awesome. There's a river, a golf course, and yes, the occasional snake. The snakes are OK though. They're pretty cool. They're not like Aussie snakes.

Q5: They're more scared of you than you are of them, particularly if you've got your beard on. Are you planning whiskers again this year?

Ricciardo: I'll probably do something – but no promises. Don't want to put pressure on myself.

Q6: On to Mexcio: By virtue of a show car run a couple of months ago, you're one of the few drivers able to tell us what the new Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is like.

Ricciardo: Well, I've only driven around the parts of the track that were finished in July, so I'm not the authority on it. The very long main straight reminded me a little of Monza. And there are some flowing parts of the track, which look quite interesting, but you can never tell until you drive a new circuit properly. It could go either way. I hope it's fun.

Q7: And how about Mexico City. Did you get to sample some of that?

Ricciardo: I did, and it was very cool. I love the food – I say that a lot don't I? – and I love the passion of the people. It was quite a moment when we saw how many had turned up to watch us back in the summer. It really makes you do a double-take. I'm looking forward to spending more time there just so I can experience a bit more of the culture.

Q8: And finally, the big question that's dividing the paddock: Back to Europe after Mexico, or staying out to muck around in the Americas?

Ricciardo: Stay out. I'm keeping my options open though. Thinking about maybe Miami because I've never been – and then there's the Texas 500 the following weekend. Might go up to Fort Worth to watch me some NASCAR!

Daniil Kvyat

Q1: COTA is of course the circuit at which you made your grand prix weekend debut in 2013 for Toro Rosso. Is it a place of good memories for you?

Kvyat: Definitely. As you say, I made my F1 debut there and that was a big moment in my career. The race last year was, I would say, unlucky in that we had really good pace, but I had to pit for a vibration with the tire after overtaking Kimi. But yes, I have very positive memories of the circuit.

Q2: The circuit is a bit of an F1 'best of,' with sections influenced by classic sequences from a number of tracks. That could lead to either beauty or beast. Which is it?

Kvyat: The first one. I really like racing at COTA; the track is really good. It has a lot of high-speed corners, heavy braking, long straights, a bit of everything really – so it's great for racing, very enjoyable. Sector One is exciting. There are a lot of high-speed changes of direction. It's kind of like Maggots-Becketts at Silverstone, and it feels great through there in an F1 car. The circuit also has a lot of changes of elevation, which is something I think every driver appreciates. It's a good track.

Q3: What about the city? Is it a similarly entertaining experience?

Kvyat: Yes, I like it there. It's a really good atmosphere. Great food. America does feel different to race in. It's got its own style, which I like.

Q4: Your teammate seems to really get into the wild west vibe. Is it the same for you?

Kvyat: Maybe not quite as enthusiastically as Daniel – that would be hard! But I like it, yeah. It's Texas. It's cowboy country, and it's good fun.

Q5: Mexico City is unknown territory for everyone in F1. Is the prospect of racing in a new venue something you enjoy?

Kvyat: Definitely. It's always nice to visit a new place and to race at a new track. Mexico should be no different. The city looks nice – interesting culture and the food should be very good too.

Q6: What are you expecting from the circuit?

Kvyat: It's hard to say. On paper it looks interesting. It looks like there are some good high-speed corners and the esses section looks like it might be quite exciting. It obviously has a lot of history, and they seem to have kept the old-school feel of it, which is good.

Q7: Judging by the show car run the team did in June in Mexico City, it looks like the atmosphere will be tremendous. Looking forward to some Latin mayhem?

Kvyat: I think Mexico has a pretty big heritage with Formula One, and it seems like it's one of those places that is really passionate about the sport – maybe a bit like Brazil. It should be a good weekend.