Daniel Ricciardo Sheds Enmity With Oscar Piastri to Celebrate Aussie Heritage in Brazil Showdown

Imagine falling off the top after being one of the most sought-after drivers in Formula 1. Imagine joining a previous world championship-winning team and still continuing your downward spiral. Imagine being demonized even after securing that team’s only win in almost a decade. Imagine being kicked out of the team a year early to be replaced by a rookie who is now being celebrated as the said team delivers a competitive car. This is the life of Daniel Ricciardo summarized in F1 in the past few years. Wouldn’t you hate the guy who took your spot?

Well, that’s what most would assume as well, especially now that Ricciardo can see had he stayed at McLaren he would be fighting for podiums if not a win. That’s why most assume the Australian must hate his replacement and fellow countryman Oscar Piastri. However, let us Ricciardo disprove this widespread belief.

Daniel Ricciardo disproves the widespread belief of his animosity toward Oscar Piastri after the Brazilian GP

The veteran Australian looked like his old daring self in Mexico after the AlphaTauri found some rare performance toward the end of the season. If the performance in Mexico wasn’t enough to prove Ricciardo is firing on all cylinders, the Australian proved his mettle in the Brazilian GP sprint race once again.

Many believe Piastri is better than Ricciardo but what if we told you the latter beat his replacement with his AlphaTauri? That’s right, Ricciardo did beat Piastri in the Sprint race to finish one place ahead of him in P9. It was during this bout we saw the two go head-to-head perhaps for the first time this season. The clear difference in machinery was nullified by Ricciardo’s experience and grit.

However, Ricciardo did not see this entire scenario as a battle between the two disputed McLaren men or two Australians. In fact, he saw it as a win for the country. The Australian posted a photo on his Instagram story of himself and Piastri on the track in their respective cars in their respective positions with the caption, “A couple Aussies in Brazil.”

Read More: Despite the Ugly Split With McLaren, Daniel Ricciardo’s Reunion With Lando Norris Deemed Possible as Oscar Piastri Turns Out to Be Too Hot to Handle

Tell us, do you see any animosity between the two? Definitely not from Ricciardo’s end and what does Piastri have to be angry about? Although even if the two don’t see it like that, there are some who loved watching the two race each other and Ricciardo coming out on top.

Reveling in the battle between the two Aussies, Peter Windsor sides with Daniel Ricciardo as he serves poetic justice to Oscar Piastri in Brazil

The F1 veteran turned journalist in his Brazilian GP Sprint race round-up talked about how he enjoyed Ricciardo’s race. Ricciardo’s Sprint race performance goes hand in hand with Piastri’s as well. This is when Peter Windsor expressed how pleasing it was for him to see Ricciardo serve some poetic justice to his former team and his replacement.

He said, “Daniel really good ninth with his nemesis Oscar Piastri tenth. — There’s no doubt Daniel would’ve been thinking, subconsciously somewhere down there, this is the guy that replaced me at McLaren — and he beat him, outraced him, and did really well.” And added, “He got beaten by Daniel which was poetic justice.”

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Windsor surely enjoyed that, we are sure so did Ricciardo. These past couple of races have definitely proved Ricciardo’s readiness for a bigger role. However, only time will tell if he gets that role.