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Ricciardo's hilarious middle-finger salute after collision with rival

Daniel Ricciardo wasn’t happy after being hit by Valtteri Bottas late in the Hungarian Grand Prix – and he let him know with one finger.

The Australian, starting 12th on the grid, survived two collisions and recorded the fastest lap of the race as he stormed through the field at the Hungaroring to finish fourth.

His action-packed race included being hit by Sauber’s Marcus Ericsson immediately after the start to push him back to 16th.

And he was then involved in a late collision with Mercedes driver Bottas, who received a 10-second penalty for the incident and ultimately finished fifth.

Ricciardo (L) and Bottas race during the Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring circuit in Mogyorod near Budapest, Hungary, on July 29, 2018. (Photo by GABOR MONOS / AFP) (Photo credit should read GABOR MONOS/AFP/Getty Images)
Ricciardo (L) and Bottas race during the Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring circuit in Mogyorod near Budapest, Hungary, on July 29, 2018. (Photo by GABOR MONOS / AFP) (Photo credit should read GABOR MONOS/AFP/Getty Images)

Bottas knocked Ricciardo off the track as the Aussie was desperately surging towards a podium finish, but Ricciardo managed to pass him a few laps later.

The Aussie then appeared to give Bottas a sneaky middle finger salute as he was driving past him.

“I couldn’t see his car in my blind spot so I left room and then I got the hit but fortunately I didn’t spin,” Ricciardo said.

Ricciardo appeared to flip Bottas the bird. Image: F1
Ricciardo appeared to flip Bottas the bird. Image: F1

“I thought it was likely he would get a penalty but I really wanted to pass him on track, which fortunately I could do on the last lap.

“I was happy today, happy to finish and get some points and have a race I feel I maximised.”

Lewis Hamilton won the race to extend his championship lead over second-placed finisher Sebastian Vettel to 24 points while Kimi Raikkonen was third.

Mercedes star Hamilton is on 213 points with Vettel on 189 and his Ferrari teammate Raikkonen on 146.

Vettel also survived a late collision with Hamilton’s teammate Bottas but still lost ground in his battle with the Brit.

“We were out of position. I think we could have gone with Lewis today with the race pace,” Vetel said.

“P2 is not really what we wanted this weekend but I think it was the maximum today.”

French driver Pierre Gasly sixth for Toro Rosso, Kevin Magnussen was a lapped seventh for Haas, Honda’s Fernando Alonso was eighth on his 37th birthday while Renault’s Carlos Sainz and Romain Grosjean of Haas rounded out the top 10.

Ricciardo’s Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen retired early with engine failure, blasting his own engineers in a foul-mouthed radio rant.

After a two-day post-race test at the Hungaroring on Tuesday and Wednesday and the summer break, drivers return to their cockpits for the Belgium GP with practice on August 24.