Daniel Ricciardo was outpaced by Yuki Tsunoda in terms of single lap speed in the first two races of the season. The consultant from Red Bull Racing expressed his lack of confidence in the performance of the 34-year-old Australian after the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grand Prix’s. He stressed the need for improvement in the near future in order to secure Ricciardo’s future in the team, especially against his VisaCashApp RB teammate.
During the Bahrain opening weekend, Yuki Tsunoda demonstrated his speed by qualifying a tenth of a second quicker. However, adhering to controversial team orders resulted in him finishing behind Daniel Ricciardo. In the following week, Tsunoda once again outpaced his teammate during Friday practice. He secured the ninth position in qualifying, while Ricciardo had to settle for 14th place. The advantage that the young Japanese driver now has over the experienced Ricciardo is not well-received by Helmut Marko.
Marko acknowledged Yuki’s impressive qualifying performance and emphasized that Ricciardo needs to step up his game. The Bahrain and Jeddah races served as a learning experience for Ricciardo, who must improve in various areas. Marko highlighted the importance of determining whether the team’s struggles are due to tire degradation or other factors.
Daniel Ricciardo revealed that his spin towards the end of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was a result of his growing frustration. The Red Bull driver had a disappointing race at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, worsened by a lengthy pit stop during the safety car period caused by Lance Stroll’s crash. Additionally, the blocking strategy employed by the Haas F1 team further hindered Ricciardo.
Ricciardo clarified that he did not intend to make excuses for his spin, as it was a result of his own frustration. Despite remaining optimistic, he expressed his dissatisfaction with the results, as the Formula 1 community expects more from him. Ricciardo aspires for a promotion to Red Bull, the parent company of RB Visa Cash App, and he recognizes the need to consistently secure good track position and contribute more points to the team in order to achieve his dreams.