Daniel Ricciardo beats Marc Marquez in Red Bull boat race
Daniel Ricciardo beats Marc Marquez in Red Bull boat race ahead of this weekend’s Spanish Formula 1 round at Barcelona.
Eight-time F1 race winner Daniel Ricciardo took on MotoGP star Marc Marquez in the Alinghi Red Bull Racing sailing race.
Both Red Bull-sponsored athletes, the pair swapped four and two wheels for the water, reaching close to 90km/h.
Ricciardo ultimately got the victory ahead of the soon-to-be factory Ducati rider in 2025.
Speaking after his triumph, Ricciardo said: “When you come out of the water foiling, the boats go so fast, the agility and everything's really precise.
“You also feel the wind like we do – and Marc does on his bike – but unless it’s a wet race we don't really get the water that much.
“So every now and then you hit a wave and get covered with water!”
Marquez, who sits third in the MotoGP standings behind Jorge Martin and Francesco Bagnaia, has been one of the star performers following his switch to Ducati after 11 seasons with Honda.
Adjusting to a completely different type of speed, Marquez added: “The biggest thing I was asking myself was how they learn and understand what they need to do.
“It’s super difficult to feel what's going on inside the boat because as soon as you are flying, everything is super smooth.
“The speed is completely different. Maybe in kilometres per hour it’s slower, but the feeling of the speed was super high.
“When you’re in it, you don't feel like you are flying. But then I saw Daniel’s boat flying by our side, and I realised I was too. We were foiling super smoothly.”
Despite a rocky full-time return to F1 with RB, Ricciardo showed great form in Canada as he scored his first points in a grand prix this season.
The Australian also qualified an impressive fifth, less than two tenths off the pole time.
Discussing the sailing boats he and Marquez raced in further detail, Ricciardo said: “The way these boats are built and the structure feels a lot like the cockpit of a Formula One car.
“They’re super sensitive with the wind, so aerodynamics has some crossover as well. It's a lot like what we do, with small movements and everything needs a lot of finesse.”
