Daniel Ricciardo‘s hopes were ruined from the start while fellow Aussie Oscar Piastri was left to rue what could have been in dramatic scenes at the Canadian GP.

Max Verstappen clinched victory at the Canada Grand Prix on a rain-soaked Monday (AEST) at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. While the triumph brought joy to Red Bull and Verstappen, it was a day of disappointment for Ricciardo.

It had been an eventful lead up to the Canada GP, with ex-champion Jacques Villeneuve questioning why Ricciardo is still in F1 and stated that his image has ultimately saved his career in a savage live television rant.

While being interviewed by Sky Sports in Montreal on Sunday morning, Ricciardo explained that he’d just learned about the F1 great’s scathing remarks after delivering a qualifying masterclass on Sunday to start fifth on the grid.

Ricciardo was slapped with a contentious penalty on the grid at the Canadian GP in Montreal

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Despite being pushed back from P5 to P12 by the penalty and a shocking first lap, Ricciardo rallied to finish eighth

‘I won’t give them the time of day. But yeah, top five, I’ve been quick all weekend. We’re less than two tenths from pole,’ he said.

‘So, eat s***.’

But it all went pear-shaped quickly for the Aussie in torrid conditions at Gilles Villeneuve.

After his brilliant qualifying saw him start fifth, Daniel Ricciardo had a nightmare first lap, making a very minor false start and losing four places to drop to ninth in the opening corners in wet conditions.

As replays rolled however fans weren’t convinced the penalty handed down was warranted as Ricciardo didn’t appear to move.

‘Did he?’ Martin Brundle said on Sky Sports as he watched the replay.

Ted Kravitz added: ‘I have to say the lights looked like they went out and then he went moving.’

Ricciardo was hit with a five-second penalty for the infringement which saw him drop to 12th after pit stops, but fought back strongly to finish eighth, three places behind fellow Australian Oscar Piastri.

Piastri had his own frustrations, missing out on his first visit to a Formula One race podium this season, the Australian left pondering what might have been after Max Verstappen raced to a hard-earned victory in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

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Oscar Piastri battled with the Ferrari’s all day and just missed out on a podium finish in a frustrating day for the Aussie

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The wet conditions in Montreal made it tough going for all drivers, including the Aussies

Red Bull’s Dutch maestro Verstappen was forced to hold off Piastri’s McLaren teammate Lando Norris in a dramatic conclusion to Sunday’s race at Imola, winning by just 0.725 seconds at the chequered flag.

It must have left Piastri, who eventually finished fourth after a frustrating day trying to get past a couple of Ferraris, wondering what he could have achieved if he had been able to get a clear tilt at Verstappen.

Unfortunately for the Melburnian, he never got the chance after having to start fifth on the grid following his penalty from stewards after his brilliant second-placed finish in qualifying on Saturday.

Piastri, who had been relegated for obstructing Kevin Magnussen’s Haas in qualifying, had been faster than Norris all weekend, yet his English teammate still nearly followed up his maiden victory in Miami with a late charge on Sunday.

‘I think it’s shown we can definitely take the fight to them,’ said Piastri, brushing aside any personal disappointment.

It was, however, a familiar story as Verstappen held on for his fifth victory in seven races this season, the 59th of his career and a third in a row at Imola.

‘I had no grip anymore. I was sliding a lot. I saw Lando closing in. The last 10 laps were flat out,’ said a relieved Verstappen, who had appeared set for another easy win but had to sweat ultimately for the spoils as Norris closed in.

‘It’s difficult when the tyres were not working anymore and you have to go flat out. I couldn’t afford to make too many mistakes. Luckily we didn’t.’