Ricciardo explains incident: 'There's more risk there'

Daniel Ricciardo finished the United States Grand Prix in fifth position. The Australian collided in the race with Carlos Sainz, who he touched lightly with his car. According to Ricciardo, however, there was no intent, he told Motorsport-total.com.

The McLaren driver started the season disappointingly but is starting to perform better. Where he ran away with the victory in Italy, he managed to finish fourth in Russia. He is now in eighth position in the world championship and seventh is insight.

"I had to fight it with everything I had," Ricciardo says of the battle with Sainz. "Of course you don't want to intentionally collide with someone. It was just a matter of changing paint if you will. Because if you go for the outside, there's more risk there. It wasn't intentional on my part."

There are tough weeks ahead for Ricciardo and his teammate Lando Norris. Competitor Ferrari is doing much better since the engine change and is a serious threat to third place in the Constructors' Championship. With five races to go McLaren only has a 3,5 point lead on Ferrari.