Former Champion On Daniel Ricciardo's F1 Future: "Can’t See Him Getting Back"

Former F1 champion Alan Jones has a bleak prediction for Daniel Ricciardo's future in the sport.

The future of Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo in Formula 1 has recently come under scrutiny after former world champion, Alan Jones, shared his thoughts on the matter. 

Ricciardo has recently expressed his motivation to return to a permanent seat for 2024, but only with a competitive team.

Jones’ perspective is that Ricciardo’s chances of securing a seat on the grid next season are slim to none, and he believes that the 33-year-old’s F1 career might be over. But what is the reasoning behind Jones’ opinion?

Ricciardo’s performance in recent years has been questionable as he’s moved from team to team, failing to find the right fit. Despite this, he has remained a fan-favourite among viewers, who have fallen for his hilarious personality and smile. Unfortunately, his off-track appeal hasn't helped him win races.

Jones believes that Ricciardo’s poor performances were due to a lack of focus, stating that the Australian spent too much time on activities outside of the cockpit. He said to the Herald Sun:

“I don’t think he even knows himself [why his form disappeared]. I just think he went off the boil.

“Really, in my own opinion, I think he concentrated and spent a bit too much time for his activities out of the cockpit rather than in it. That’s my opinion.”

Ricciardo’s departure from McLaren was always going to be a significant event, but the team's struggles since his exit have been noteworthy. Jones suggests that McLaren's difficulties may have given Ricciardo a feeling that he wasn't solely to blame for the performance he showed on-track last year. Jones continued:

"Perhaps McLaren's struggles will give Ricciardo the confidence that his poor performances weren't entirely his fault, although there is no questioning that his departure was ultimately the right decision.

“I don’t think he will get a drive at Red Bull unless something happens to the two current drivers [Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez]. 

“I can’t see him doing a Grand Prix. I doubt [he will be on the grid in 2024]. At the end of the day, there is probably no reason why Red Bull won’t re-sign Perez, and obviously, Verstappen.

"I can’t see anybody at Ferrari resigning or going away, so I just can’t see where he can go. Obviously, everybody likes to go out on a high note, and it’s just unfortunate that for whatever reason, and I don’t even think he knows himself, why his performance dropped off.

"As I said before, I just can’t see him getting back into Formula 1.”

While it is possible that Ricciardo could make a return to the grid at some point in the future, it is looking increasingly unlikely. Fortunately, his talents in front of the camera are not going to waste, as Red Bull continues to utilise the driver for his personality, something it’s safe to say we all adore.