Daniel Ricciardo Makes Bold Statement Following Jacques Villeneuve Reaction

Alex Harrington | Aug 5, 2024

May 5, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; RB driver Daniel Ricciardo (3) walks in the paddock before the F1 Miami Grand Prix at Miami International Autodrome. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports / Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

More often than not in Formula 1, the drama on-track extends off the track, as well as illustrated by the feud that escalated between Daniel Ricciardo and Jacques Villeneuve. Sparked by Villeneuve’s disparaging remarks at the Canadian Grand Prix earlier this year, the conflict was ignited when the former world champion openly questioned Ricciardo’s place in the sport.

The incident, pointing at the Australian's then-struggles in contrast to his less experienced teammate, Yuki Tsunoda at VCARB, laid the foundation for a controversy straddling professional critique.

The row escalated following Ricciardo’s robust response—both on and off the track. After securing an impressive fifth-place qualifying position at the Montreal race, Ricciardo bluntly advised Villeneuve to "eat s**t," a retort that sparked further comments from Villeneuve, who labeled the Australian racer "unprofessional" and "childish."

This contentious moment spurred increased media scrutiny, which has simmered down only slightly due to Ricciardo’s subsequent performance improvements.

In a recent interview with Mirror Sport, Ricciardo discussed the mental fortitude required to navigate such public criticism.

"Normally I don't read it, but the team makes you aware of it, to prepare me for things that have been said. It does work me up... this is a world champion as well, in Jacques' case, it's someone who knows the sport," Ricciardo revealed.

Despite the sting of Villeneuve’s remarks, the former Red Bull driver admitted they served as a powerful motivator, shifting his mindset dramatically:

"I was more disappointed, but I thought, 'If some people think that way, time for me to remind them that I'm still here'. I used it to my advantage, but it's fine. I know people have opinions. I just thought, 'Don’t get agitated, get motivated'."

Since the dispute, Ricciardo’s approach and performance have shown marked improvements. Describing the Canadian Grand Prix as a "turning point", he explained:

"It’s definitely clicking a bit more. Canada was a bigger turning point. I had the new chassis in China and Miami, which worked better."

Ricciardo’s resilience has reshaped his season, propelling him from potential seat loss to a turning point in his career. He detailed the pressure-cooker moment:

"I had a couple of not-as-good ones and then in Canada, there was a lot on the line. There was talk already of me maybe losing my seat and I was like, 'Okay, everything I’ve done so far this year, for whatever reason, hasn’t worked the way I wanted—I need to try to change a few things'."

With his recent spike in performance, questions are now being asked whether he could return to Red Bull in Sergio Perez's place, proving how far he has come in the 14 races so far this season. But while the Milton Keynes squad has confirmed the Mexican driver will be retaining his seat, Ricciardo needs to knuckle down and maintain his newfound performance.

"I could comment on other drivers and be like, 'Yeah, he's gone through a rough patch', but I would never talk s**t about someone because I can relate and I know what they’ve gone through. No-one can strap themselves and do this, it’s such a rare sport."