In only his second race since returning from a broken hand, Ricciardo claimed 💝a superb fourth for AlphaTauri to secure an unexpected spot on the second row with a lap that was just two-tenths off pole position. 

The Australian also made a strong statement by outpacing the under-pressure168澳洲5最新开奖结果: Sergio Perez at the Mexican’s hom💝e race as he looks to stake a claim to return to the Red Bull senior te♓am. 

“I think there was definite𒁃ly a positive chip on my shoulder, I know I haven’t done much this year race-wise, but I feel a 🙈lot like my old self and I feel like I can do well,” Ricciardo told Sky. 

“So there were a lot of things that were there and it kind of brought out a 💃lot of conf🧔idence. Even in P3 this morning, I was P9 and I wasn’t happy at all with my lap. 

“But as opposed to being frustrated with that, it gavജe me confidence coming into quali that we can clean it up and we’re going to be well inside t🥃he top-10.”

The result exceeded both AlphaTauri and Ricciardo’s expectations, with the 34-yeಌar-old thinking he woul𝕴d be P6 or P7 with “the perfect lap”.

"It was one of those๊ weeks where I definitely felt, already Sunday night in Austin I was wanting it to be Friday practice. I wanted to get back in the car,” Ricc♚iardo added. 

"I felt like there were some things left on the 🎐table and some things with setup that we knew we could try with a more conventional weekend. Some things I definitelyꦰ wanted to try and had some confidence in. 

"From Lap 1 yesterday I felt really confident. P4 is maybe a little more than we thought. Coming into qualy i🍎t was about how far could we get inside Q3. As a team we definitely hadꦇ confidence.

"I thought maybe with the perfect lap i⛄t would be P6 ꦰor P7, not quite a P4, so it's cool.”