Daniel Ricciardo feels damaged sustained to𝐆 his front wing on the opening lap shaped his ಌRussian Grand Prix on Sunday as the Red Bull Formula 1 driver finished a “lonely” sixth in Sochi.

Ricciardo started the race in 18th position ahead of teammate Max Verst💛appen after both Red Bull drivers took grid penalties for power ꦍunit and gearbox changes.

While Verstappen was able to charge through the field to run fifth - where he would ultimately finish - by Lap 8, Ricciardo had a more difficu🔯lt afternoon as he finished 50 seconds 🍃behind his teammate in sixth place.

Ricciardo explained after the race how his afternoon was largely defined by a messy first lap that saw him strike some debris, damaging his Red Bull RB14’s front🎶 wing, which was changed at his pit stop on Lap 39.

“I just lost out on the first lap. To be ho🌼nest I can’t ꧙really remember what happened,” Ricciardo said.

“I wasn’t really a💃head of where I started by Turn 10, and then I think I had a slipstream from I think a McLaren, and as soon as I pulled out, there was some debris in front of me and I hit that. I didn’t have time to see it or react.

“The first lap was🔯n’t going that great, and 🎃then it took that and broke the front wing. That was a kind of double whammy on the first lap that really shaped the race. A bit lonely at the end.

“Hitting the debris, I couldn’t avoid because I didn’t see it until I hit it. The first part of that first lap, I’m going to watch some replays and try to see if I can pick up a few things or if it was just circumstances which kept me not advancing. I’d like to think there’s room forᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚꦅ improvement.”

With Red Bull ♐seemingly marooned as the third-fastest team in the pecking order, Ricciardo admitted he was concerned he could be in for ano🐎ther lonely race at Suzuka next weekend given Mercedes’ advantage at the front of the pack.

“It’s possible [it will be lonely] because it’s a tough track to overtake. I don’t w🔜ant this to sound too negative, bu💖t it could be what you qualify is what you finish,” he said.

“But if it’s a lon🌳ely podium, we’ll probably take that at the moment. We’ll see. Mercedes look really strong. I think th🐻ey’ve now shown pace on all circuits.

“I don’t know if they’ve brought an update recently, but they seem to be the car to beat on any layout at the moment. I think they’ll b⛄e tough to beat at Suzuk🌊a.

“But hopefully the Ferrari, we can have a bit of a f𝐆ight."