An opening lap collision with Kevin Magnussen at the Brazilian Grand Prix could see Daniel Ricciardo hit with a grid penalty for what might be his final F1 race in Abu Dhabi.
Having started 11th, Ricciardo was looking to make up positions when he hit the back of the Magnussen’s Haas in the tight right-hander at turn 8, causing him to spin out.
As the Dane rolled back across the track, he clipped the left-rear of Ricciardo’s McLaren, which spin him into the outside wall and into retirement.
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Leading commentator Martin Brundle said it all went “horribly wrong” for Ricciardo.
“That’s 100 per cent on Daniel … that was a shame,” he said.
“Magnussen went inside to cover and Daniel couldn’t slow his car I think.
“(He) then didn’t recognise the Haas was freewheeling. I’ve got to give that to Daniel, I’m afraid.”
The race was eventually won by Mercedes young gun George Russell – his first in F1.
Earlier, Max Verstappen was hit with a five-second penalty for a collision with 2020 title adversary Lewis Hamilton.
Verstappen was looking to go around the outside of Hamilton at the first corner, which becomes the inside for the second corner, when the pair came together.
The collision destroyed Verstappen’s front wing, causing him to pit at the end of the lap, dropping him to the rear.
In commentary, Brundle put blame mostly on Hamilton for not giving Verstappen room, but stewards disagreed and gave Verstappen the penalty, which he served at his next pitstop.
In what was a disastrous day for McLaren, Ricciardo’s teammate Lando Norris was also involved in a collision with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc on the restart, for which he was also hit with a five second penalty.
He eventually retired with an electrical issue late in the race.
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