Red Bull were aware of Ricciardo issue on lap 10

Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko has admitted Red Bull was aware of Daniel Ricciardo’s engine problem as early as lap 10. The Australian was forced into a retirement on lap 61 of the Mexican Grand Prix with a hydraulics failure.  

The retirement was Ricciardo’s sixth mechanical termination of the season. He’s failed to finish on two additional occasions. The Red Bull driver has had further problems in qualifying throughout the season. These added together have resulted in Ricciardo saying he is fed up with the car, believing it to be cursed.

The Red Bull team initially denied they knew a problem was coming. But this evening, Marko has admitted they were aware in the early stages of the race: “Since the 10th lap, there were signs that something could happen. A clutch bearing was broken,” Marko told Auto Motor und Sport. “Unfortunately it didn’t last the whole race. Of course, it is a pity that Ricciardo had a failure.”  

In the aftermath of the retirement, Red Bull ‘turned down’ Max Verstappen’s engine to avoid a similar problem on their other car: “We turned down the engine and told him to drive slowly. We trembled to the end. But unlike Ricciardo, there was no sign that anything could break."

Replies (1)

Login to reply
  • So they went all or nothing with him? Why not turn it down a bit and give him a chance to finish (albeit in a lower position)

    • + 0
    • Nov 1 2018 - 12:18

AZ Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Local time 

AZAzerbaijan Grand Prix

Local time 

Test calendar

See full test schedule

World Championship standings 2025

Show full world champion standings

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2026

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Spain
-
Bahrain
-
Bahrain
6 - Mar 8
Australia
13 - Mar 15
China
27 - Mar 29
Japan
10 - Apr 12
Bahrain
17 - Apr 19
Saudi Arabia
1 - May 3
United States of America
22 - May 24
Canada
5 - Jun 7
Monaco
12 - Jun 14
Spain
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2026

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
6 - Mar 8
Australia Albert Park
13 - Mar 15
27 - Mar 29
10 - Apr 12
17 - Apr 19
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
1 - May 3
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
22 - May 24
5 - Jun 7
Monaco Monte Carlo
12 - Jun 14
See full schedule

Driver profile

  • Team Red Bull Racing
  • Points 3,453
  • Podiums 127
  • Grand Prix 234
  • Country NL
  • Date of b. Sep 30 1997 (28)
  • Place of b. Hasselt (Belgie), NL
  • Weight 70 kg
  • Length 1.8 m
Show full profile
show sidebar