Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has issued a warning to Daniel Ricciardo, urging him to step up his performance following a lackluster start to the 2024 Formula 1 season. Despite high expectations for the rebranded team, Ricciardo has struggled, qualifying behind his teammate Yuki Tsunoda in both races so far. Marko emphasized the need for improvement, stating that Ricciardo must “come up with something soon.” The pressure is on for both Ricciardo and Tsunoda this season.
Marko also highlighted the need for the team to understand why their VCARB 01 chassis is not translating its strong qualifying pace into race performance. While Tsunoda has shown promise in qualifying, the team has struggled to maintain their position in the points during the races. Marko questioned whether the team is putting too much strain on the tires or if there are other factors at play.
In contrast, Marko had praise for Sergio Perez, who has been able to follow Max Verstappen home in both races, securing consecutive Red Bull 1-2 finishes. Marko revealed that Perez has been using the same setups as his teammate, highlighting Verstappen’s ability to manage the rear of the car. Perez’s stability in the car has allowed him to perform well, particularly when the RB18 was overweight in the early races of 2022.
Overall, Ricciardo faces pressure to improve his performance, while the team works to understand their race pace issues. Perez, on the other hand, has been able to adapt to Verstappen’s setups and deliver strong results for the team.