Ricciardo hits back at ‘fading chances’ accusation. Last Formula One season it was Sergio Perez who was under permanent pressure but this year the focus will shift to Daniel Ricciardo. Rehabilitated since being dumped by McLaren, the 8 times Grand Prix winner now returns to his home country for the Australian Grand Prix.

Yet all is not sweetness and roses in Ricciardo’s garden as questions continue to be asked as to whether the former Red Bull driver has regained his form or not. Whilst team mate Yuki Tsunoda managed a P8 start last time out in Jeddah, neither RB driver has yet opened their points account in 2024.

 

 

 

Marko: “Ricciardo has to come up with something..”

Since Ricciardo replaced the unfortunate Nyck de Vries just 10 races into last year, his results against what appears to be an erratic Japanese driver are hardly stellar. In their seven Grand Prix together in 2023, Ricciardo scored points just once while Ysunoda managed to claim a top ten finish on four occasions.

Of course Daniel suffered an injury keeping him out of the car for five Grand Prix, which could explain the closing races of the year, but he has now had the winter to recover fully and needs to step up to the mark.

Dr. Helmut Marko spoke publicly of the need for the Aussie to improve in Jeddah. “There’s a lot at stake this season for both Yuki and Daniel,” he said. “Yuki’s qualifying was very good, and Ricciardo has to come up with something soon…”

Of course Marko is responsible for the Red Bull driver academy and at present Daniel is merely blocking a seat for a hopeful young rookie to prove he is the next best thing to Max. Helmut even told ORS he expected Liam Lawson, who deputised for Ricciardo last season, to have a full time race seat for 2025, but also that he expected him to race in an F1 car this year too.

Max threat fails as his manager is warned

 

 

 

F1 world champ “seen the best days [from Ricciardo]”

“With the role as reserve driver, he has a big task next year but by 2025 at the latest, he will be in a Formula 1 car anyway,” Marko explained. So either Ricciardo or Yuki Tsunoda are losing their seat at the end of the season.

Earlier this week, F1 champion and fellow Australian racer Alan Jones suggested he was losing faith in Daniel Ricciardo’s capability to return to the top of the sport. “I hate to say it, but I think we have seen the best days (from Ricciardo),” Jones said in an interview with local publisher The Herald Sun.

Jones suggests the man known as the Honey Badger in the paddock has had his fair share of competitive cars, but now faces the job of leading the RB team.

“He has had his bum in a few decent cars, irrespective of what people say. “The Alpine or the McLaren, the car that he is in right now … at the end of the day he has got to start beating his teammate for a start.” Jones emphasised.

Mercedes desperate test for Melbourne

 

 

 

Ricciardo curt with local reporter

“I would love him to become super competitive and be up there challenging in the points, but I just think that maybe a couple of things have got to change before we see that.”

Yet Ricciardo fans hoping he will be inspired by the teams of thousands of Aussie fans, need to check the history books before getting too excited. In the nine Melbourne based F1 races Daniel has competed in he has been disqualified, retired three times and been fourth and six twice each, and coming home P9 on debut.

Due to COVID, Yuki has raced in Melbourne just once and picked up tenth place and a point for the team last season.

Ricciardo was curt with a reporter when collecting his luggage at the airport when asked if he felt he had something to prove. “Not at all. Seeya,” was the swift response before he walked away.

Hamilton commitment openly questioned

 

 

 

RB boss backs his Aussie driver

Daniel has defended his “slow start” to the 2024 season claiming in Jeddah, “It’s been a steady, I’d say slow start to the year,” he said. “But it’s only been two races. Hopefully the season starts now on the right foot in Melbourne.”

In an effort to dispel any notion he is too laid back and easy going, Ricciardo insisted: “I wanted to get that feeling back again, to bring out the old me. Racing and training are my priorities right now and all of the other stuff is secondary.”

New team boss, ex-Ferrari man Laurent Mekies reveals he is impressed with Ricciardo since joining the team. “In the first couple of days of running with him you can see the race-winning guy,” he told the Beyond The Grid podcast, “so I guess the Daniel we have now is the best Daniel we have seen.

“Of course, he has had a rough patch in the last few years but, ironically, it’s probably putting him now in the best mindset, in the best spirit, with the best energy,” Mekies added.

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Yuki told to “step up”

Yuki Tsunoda is now in his fourth season in Formula One and should be repaying the loyalty shown to him by the Red Bull Racing family. Yet the Japanese driver’s future is not certain with rumours Christian Horner wanted him out for this season only for Helmut Marko to intervene. 

Yuki is expected to be promoted to Aston Martin when the Japanese engine manufacturer switch their supply of F1 power trains ton the Silverstone based team in 2026.

Mekies was to the point when asked about Tsunoda: “What we are looking for from Yuki is that he does that next step.

“The top guys, they make steps.”

Red Bull admit looking toward 2026 car

 

 

 

The intra team fight to remain in F1

Ricciardo does reveal the impact he has had on the team since arriving last summer. “You realise with age that you have the power to change how a garage feels, how a team responds,” explained the 34-year-old.

“There’s hundreds of people that work with these teams, but you’re one of the two people who the world watches to see how the team performs.

“We don’t just drive the car, we have the ability to alter the atmosphere in the room and that’s something I’m definitely more aware of.”

Should Sergio Perez continue with the 1-2 finishes for Red Bull, it is likely he gets another twelve month contract with the team, then either Tsunoda or Ricciardo are making way for Liam Lawson. Given Red Bull’s lethal in season driver changes, neither Daniel or Yuki can truly sleep easily at night.

Ocon to dump Alpine?

 

 

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