Daniel Ricciardo says his gearbox problem in the Singapore Grand Prix didn’t cost him the win but his set-up choice might have.

The Red Bull driver was in danger of retiring from early on in the race according to team principal Christian Horner. However Ricciardo said the gearbox problem wasn’t what prevented him challenging Lewis Hamilton for the lead.

“We had a couple of little issues,” said Ricciardo. “I had to manage the car in some situations with the gearbox and that, but ultimately I don’t think it changed the shape of the race. I don’t think that was the reason we were second and not first.”

“I have an idea, if we were to do the race again, how to set up the car differently. I feel something we did on the car it would have helped if we went the other way for how the track conditions were, but it was fun nonetheless, you know the beginning, never going around here really in the wet.”

Ricciardo said he didn’t know what the nature of his gearbox problem was.

“I’m actually not too sure what the issue was but I was just advised to do some short shifts from fairly early in the race and I was then reminded to continue to do that up to the end.”

“Obviously there were probably some issues going on and that was a way of managing it. I think that was the main thing. But I’m not sure the reason, but that’s what I was told to do.”

2017 Singapore Grand Prix