Daniel Riಞcciardo has apologised for his choice of language when criticising the way Formula 1 continues to emphasise the use of crash footage across its various social media channels.

In an interview released after the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix with , Ricciardo was vocal ಌabout F1’s decision to promote crash footage on social media. 

The Australian was also very critical of F1’s decision to show replays of Romaiཧn Grosjean’s dram😼atic crash at last season's Bahrain Grand Prix.

While Ricciardo still stands by his opinion, the McLaren driver apologised for the way he phrased his critic൩ism.

“I dꦚon’t think I ever said that,” Ricciardo said ahead of this weekend's race at Imola. “I certainly have to be better with my choice of words. If I could 🔥take that quote back, I would. It was too aggressive.

“I should know better as well being in the sport as long as I have. And even if I feel at the time that it might be out of context, I know that it is going to get pushed. So I shou🤡ld do better with that.”

2020 was an unpredictable season with Pierre Gasl🌱y taking his maiden win for AlphaTauri, while Racing Point (now Aston Martin), Renaul💎t (now Alpine) and McLaren enjoyed trips to the podium.

Ricciardo feels F1 should be promoting its positive storylines, rather than crashes and✤ incidents.

“Taking that direct comment away from it, I guess what I’m trying to get at is that I feel like…last year as an example,” Ricciardo added. “I felt last year was such an amazing year for F1. There we✅re so many different podium getters, there were a lot of exciting races. I certainly would not put it unde🍒r a boring season.

“I just felt like there was probably more room to expose the highs of the sport. And the great achievements of a lot of individual drivers and individual performances, whether some spectacular overtakes, I felt that there were better stories to be told as opposed to just crꩲashes.

“This is obviously my opinion but I feel that our sport is better than that. I fe🔯el that we are better than just showing crashes. Whether it is other categories or types of sports or disciplines to show🎃 I would say that level of highlights. I feel that we are above that.

“I feel that we are the most talented drivers in the world, and we a𝕴re driving these amazing cars. So normally a crash is showing less of our 𒊎talents.”

Ricciardo concluded his response by confirm🌳ing he had apologised: “We absolutely make mistakes but I would probably highlight the highs more if I had creative control. I don’tಞ know if every other driver feels like that, but obviously, it is how I feel.

“I would if I could… I have apologized, but I wou🔯ld take back at least the language🥃 from those comments. That was overall my opinion of what I would do if I had a chance to direct it a little bit.”