Describing the incident, Daniel Ricciardo explained that his crash boiled down to a choice between hitting Oscar Piastri or the trackside barrier. The unfortunate collision led to a metacarpal fracture during FP2 at Zandvoort.
As Oscar Piastri veered into the barrier at the banked Turn 3 at Zandvoort, Ricciardo, following his fellow Australian’s trajectory, found himself rapidly approaching the same corner.
In the midst of observing Piastri’s position on the racing line, Ricciardo’s car ended up colliding with the barrier. The impact was immediately felt in his hand.
Ricciardo managed to exit the car, but the use of his left hand was compromised. A visit to the hospital confirmed a broken metacarpal, rendering him unfit to continue driving at Zandvoort.
In his absence, Red Bull junior driver Liam Lawson stepped in for his Formula 1 debut. As Ricciardo returned to the paddock sporting a sling, the exact timeline for his recovery remains uncertain.
The incident curtailed Ricciardo’s return to Formula 1, which had resumed just two races ago.
The eight-time race winner expressed his desire to make a swift comeback, saying, “I was eagerly looking forward to getting back on track after the break.
The day was progressing well, and we were making positive strides. Before the crash, we were on hard tires and the car was feeling good.
We were building up and enhancing our performance. At that point, we were quite competitive, and my outlook was optimistic.”
As I approached Turn 3, I was already committed to the corner, and suddenly, Piastri came into view. In that split second, I had to decide between crashing into him or hitting the wall.
When I struck the wall, I couldn’t manage to free my hands from the steering wheel in time, which resulted in the impact affecting my hand.
“The situation is incredibly unfortunate and quite frustrating. However, I’ll put forth my best efforts for a swift recovery.
Naturally, I’m eager to return promptly, but I’m equally committed to following the right process to ensure a strong and competitive comeback.
“My best wishes go out to the team, and I apologize for the sudden alteration in plans once again. This presents an opportunity for Liam to step in, and I extend my wishes for a successful weekend to both him and the team.”