Daniel Ricciardo’s Mexico City Grand Prix was effectively over by the first corner, after the Australian triggered a crash that also took out pole-sitter Valtteri Bottas.
Ricciardo made a fantastic start from seventh on the grid, and looked set to slot into fourth place.
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The leaders, Bottas, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, were three-abreast as they started to brake for the first corner, with Ricciardo going down the inside of Sergio Perez immediately behind them.
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But the Australian locked his right front wheel on the dirty line, and as Bottas turned in, the McLaren’s left front tagged Bottas’ right rear.
That spun the Mercedes around, and ripped off the Australian’s front wing.
A penalty for Ricciardo wouldn’t have been a surprise, however, the stewards decided not investigate the incident, deeming it a racing accident.
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Ricciardo was also hit from behind later in the lap, as he attempted to limp back to the pits.
He eventually did so, as did Bottas, with the pair rejoining at the back of the field.
From there it was a miserable race for Ricciardo, who had to pit a second time for fresh tyres, eventually finishing in 12th place.
The race was run by Verstappen, from Hamilton and Perez.
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