F1 News: Daniel Ricciardo Addresses Speculation of Early RB Exit - 'Not Naive'

Daniel Ricciardo addresses concerns over his performance and potential early exit from RB.

Daniel Ricciardo / Visa Cash App RB Press Image

Daniel Ricciardo has responded to rumors about a potential early exit from his RB Formula 1 team, similar to former driver Nyck de Vries's departure last year. Despite a challenging start to the season, Ricciardo remains optimistic about his prospects.

Key Takeaways:

• Daniel Ricciardo responds to rumors about a potential early exit from his Formula 1 team, emphasizing his ongoing efforts and past achievements to secure his position.
• Facing intense scrutiny after underperforming in the season's first four races, Ricciardo is set to use a new chassis starting from the Chinese Grand Prix, aiming to demonstrate significant improvement.
• Helmut Marko has indicated that Ricciardo must outperform teammate Yuki Tsunoda to potentially secure a future seat with Red Bull Racing, with the alternative being an opportunity for Liam Lawson.

As the 2024 Formula 1 season progresses, the Australian driver is facing considerable pressure to perform after a series of underwhelming races. Ricciardo, who made a mid-season comeback last year to replace an underperforming Nyck de Vries, is currently utilizing Visa Cash App RB as a stepping stone, aiming for a return to Red Bull Racing's main roster.

Early in the season, expectations were high for Ricciardo to demonstrate significant improvement. However, the results from the initial races in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Australia, and Japan were less than stellar, prompting the introduction of a new chassis. This change is set to take place starting from the Chinese Grand Prix, with Ricciardo eager to prove his mettle. Ricciardo was asked if he was concerned about a similar exit to de Vries, to which he responded (as quoted by GP Blog):

"No. Anything can happen. I'm also not naive, but I haven't had any indication of that. It probably goes back to a little bit of maybe what I did in the past, but I think they know even last year, I showed the signs of speed and everything that I didn't always show with McLaren.

"We felt like we got that back out of me. For whatever reason, it hasn't quite been there to its fullest so far this year, but I think they know it's there. And also what we're doing on the sim, they can see that it's there. So we just now got to put it together."

Ricciardo's candid reflections come amid speculative comparisons to de Vries's exit. However, Ricciardo's situation is nuanced by his history of competitive performances and recent promising simulator work. He acknowledges the inconsistency this season but remains hopeful about turning things around with the new equipment.

"Yes [I will have the new chassis in China].

I've been quite vocal about it because I've been struggling a bit this year. To be clear it was always the plan to have to introduce that chassis here. I don't know if anyone else is yet, but by race five, I was obviously just putting my hand up whenever it's ready, I'll take it.

"It was the earliest convenience, and I obviously said 'let me try it.' And Yuki is happy with his [chassis]."

Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko has hinted at the stakes being high for Ricciardo. He needs to outperform teammate Yuki Tsunoda to secure a potential seat with Red Bull in the future. Failure to surpass Tsunoda could open the door for Liam Lawson, another aspiring talent within the team's ranks.