Sadly, sportsmanship is kind of a lost art these days. Some athletes do not understand that it takes an even bigger winner in defeat than it does in victory. That is not the case for F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo, however, who proved himself to be a bigger winner off the track than on.
Odds Were in Their Favor
Ricciardo and teammate Esteban Ocon entered the Russian Grand Prix as potential challengers to win the race. I want to highlight the classy way that Ricciardo handled the penalty he received because it cost him a chance at a victory. It also cost anyone who had followed a guide like the one in this blog post and decided to place a bet on him, something that Ricciardo recognized.
It is also important to note that Ricciardo kept his cool after being penalized. There are a number of reasons why fatal accidents occur, and frustration and anger are often at the heart of those accidents, even on the track. So, the F1 driver could have driven with a big chip on his shoulder endangering others, but this was not the case.
So, What Happened?
If you are unfamiliar with what happened, Ricciardo was penalized by race officials after a wider line garnered him a five-second penalty. The extra time was added at the end of the race.
These kinds of penalties have almost always resulted in driver snapping. That was not the case for Ricciardo, who accepted the penalty with grace, telling reporters and fans “I’ll just drive faster. That’s my bad, I’ll make up for it.”
That is exactly what he did. Despite the time penalty, the F1 racer finished in fifth place, just narrowly eclipsed by Sergio Perez for fourth. This is the latest in a string of successful races for Ricciardo and his teammate who have been closing the gap for third place overall in the Constructor’s Championship.
A Contrast in Class
To understand what a classy move it was by Ricciardo, one needs to look no further than the response by Lewis Hamilton. Teammate Vatteri Bottas who won the race, a big boon for F1 betting on this racer, but Hamilton received two penalties which thwarted his efforts to match Michael Schumacher’s record for Formula 1 victories. Schumacher won 91 races.
Hamilton started in the pole position but, on two occasions, was caught before the start of the race practicing starts at the exit of the pit lane. This was in violation as racers were required to practice in the designated area. In response, he earned two five-second penalties.
The penalties knocked Hamilton out of contention, and he did not take the news well. After the race he demanded to see the rulebook, calling the penalties “ridiculous.” The Brit explained that he had been told by Mercedes that he had permission to practice the starts at the end of the pit row, but this was not verified.
In an interview with Sky Sports, he seemed oblivious to any wrongdoing. “I need to go back and see what the rules are and what exactly I did wrong. I’m pretty sure no-one’s got two five-second penalties for something so ridiculous before.
“I didn’t put anyone in danger. I’ve done this at a million tracks over the years and never been questioned on it. So, it is what it is.”
Fans Appreciated the Classy Response
While Hamilton deflected any blame, fans responded across social media and f1 betting sites to the classy move by Ricciardo. One fan called him an “absolute superstar,” while another praised the driver’s response, tweeting “Daniel Ricciardo showing how you take on board being told you have a five-second penalty.”
While it is understandable that drivers want to win, especially for Hamilton who is chasing a legacy, Ricciardo demonstrated that one can be competitive and also show what sportsmanship is all about. Mistakes will happen on the track, and sometimes they may occur without the driver even realizing they have done something wrong.
This can be frustrating when a penalty is imposed, but Ricciardo showed that even in this type of adversity, he understood what it means to be a true champion.
In the book, Rich Dad, Poor Dad, Robert T. Kiyosaki writes, “Sometimes you win and sometimes you learn.” Looking at this race, it is easy to see who learned a valuable lesson for future races. Even those visiting formula one betting sites to place wagers can learn from his classy response.