Ricciardo looks back on cancelled GP Australia: "Situation changed very fast"

For Daniel Ricciardo the news came that the Australian Grand Prix had been cancelled as a disappointment. The driver of Renault was looking forward to his home race after the winter test, but due to the corona virus the whole event had to be cancelled at the last minute. Three months after the cancellation Ricciardo looks back on the moment he was told that there would be no race.

"You build up all winter to finally go racing in Australia. The winter test is then a foretaste of what's to come in Melbourne. Everyone was ready to start in Melbourne", Ricciardo said in the podcast In the Fast Lane of the Australian Grand Prix. According to Ricciardo the hardest moment of the whole weekend was when he knew there wouldn't be a race. 

Just as clear that we weren't going to race

“I went to bed on Thursday night, to get ready for the free practice sessions on Friday. The moment I wanted to sleep then, I got a message that McLaren withdrew". McLaren withdrew because one of the team members tested positive for the coronavirus. The risk that there would be more infections was ultimately the reason that the whole weekend was canceled. 

"From that moment on, I knew we wouldn't race. We weren't going to race with an incomplete grid. After that I was awake for two to three hours to find out what the current situation was. It all changed tremendously fast", Ricciardo said. "It wasn't just hard for the drivers. I sympathize with everyone who was involved in the event. Everyone had worked hard to make this all possible," Ricciardo said.