Elation turned to desolation for Daniel Ricciardo at the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday after the Red Bull driver was stripped of his first podium finish due to a technical breach at Formula One’s season opener.
Ricciardo initially finished second to Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg to become the first homegrown driver to take to the podium in the 29-year history of the Australian GP.
The celebrations did not last long as F1 stewards said his car breached fuel-flow rules introduced this year which limit cars to 100 kilograms of fuel during the race. World motorsport governing body FIA subsequently disqualified Ricciardo, elevating Mclaren drivers Kevin Magnussen and Jenson Button to second and third.
Red Bull immediately announced it will appeal. Shortly after the end of the race, FIA Formula One technical delegate Jo Bauer said Ricciardo’s car had “exceeded consistently the maximum allowed fuel flow” and referred the matter to stewards.
More than three and a half hours later, after Ricciardo had left the track, the stewards disqualified the Australian saying Red Bull had not only breached technical regulations by exceeding the allowed fuel flow, but also had disregarded instructions before the race to change the fuel flow sensor and during the race to reduce the flow.
The operation of the fuel-flow sensors had been a source of dispute between the teams and the FIA coming into the first race.