“I was able to just hold firm out front [in] the first stint. I don’t think we had mega speed but it was enough to keep Max [Verstappen] behind.

“To lead literally from start to finish - I don’t think any of us expected that.

“There was something in me on Friday - I knew something good was to come.”

Ricciardo then joked about his recent indifferent form, saying: “I’ve just been a sandbagging SOB this whole year. Thirds, fourths, fifths - you might as well win.

“I’m, for once, lost for words.”

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Title aspirants and rivals Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen took each other out of the race, so while McLaren celebrated, the pair and their teams clearly had nothing to smile about.

They collided and crashed out after their pitstops, with Verstappen lifting off the kerb and ending up on top of Hamilton’s Mercedes in the gravel, with the halo head protection device keeping the champion out of harm’s way.

Both climbed out after the accident at the first chicane, with Verstappen’s five-point lead in the championship unchanged.

Ricciardo’s win was his eighth in the world’s premier motorsport category, while Norris’ second place - which was put beyond doubt when he was given “team orders” to not try and challenge Ricciardo for the victory - equalled his highest race finish.

Ricciardo’s victory was set up after he overtook pole-sitter Verstappen at the start of the race. His day finished in style with the fastest lap of the race.

With Reuters

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