Ricciardo sorry for fans after boring F1

At least this time Daniel Ricciardo had some points to show for his Australian Grand Prix effort.

But the local hope could not find any more positives, all but apologising to fans for a lack of fight after being lapped by Mercedes winner Lewis Hamilton and finishing sixth at Albert Park on Sunday.

A year ago, the Perth-born Red Bull driver was sensationally disqualified by officials over fuel issues hours after celebrating second place in front of delirious Melbourne fans.

Ricciardo, 25, again emerged empty-handed from Albert Park.

It was in far less traumatic circumstances than last year, but it seemed to be no less disappointing to a gutted Ricciardo after his limp challenge.

“I feel a bit for the fans,” he said.

“It probably wasn’t the most exciting race but we will see if we can turn it around – we have to find something.”

Ricciardo failed to challenge fifth-placed Sauber’s Felipe Nasr, who defied his team’s legal stoush with disgruntled driver Giedo van der Garde to shine on debut.

“The whole race I was trying to make something happen – it was a boring race,” Ricciardo said.

“It was frustrating.

“I was fighting to overtake the Sauber but I just didn’t have the legs.”

Ricciardo famously bounced back from last year’s Albert Park heartache to finish third overall in 2014 championship with three wins – the only non-Mercedes driver to record a victory.

But it remains to be seen how he responds after his underwhelming 2015 start.

Overall, Ricciardo finished a lap down from reigning world champion Hamilton, providing plenty to ponder before the next round in Malaysia in a fortnight.

“We obviously got away with some points, but other than that not much more,” he said.

“We got 58 laps worth of data to try and make something of it but we got lapped so we have got some pace to find.”

Still, Ricciardo at one stage would have been simply happy to take his place on the starting grid after practice dramas.

He missed one session entirely as mechanics installed a new power unit in his Red Bull Racing car.

And on Saturday his car stopped altogether and had to be pushed back to the pits.

At least he caught a break barely an hour before the race started when he moved up one spot to sixth place on the grid following the withdrawal of Williams’ Valtteri Bottas (back).

“We are definitely behind, but I am sure we will get there,” Ricciardo said.

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