During a lackluster phase of his career, the beloved Australian Formula 1 driver expressed to the PA news agency in China: “Everyone in the team is dismissing that notion. The reality is that I have a contract. However, I must prove myself.
“I don’t want these results to persist for a year and for me to rely solely on paperwork. I won’t be satisfied with that. At the end of the day, if I’m being outperformed, I don’t deserve to be here.
“I aspire to return to a level where I know I can excel, and I have confidence in my ability to get there. I understand that I must achieve the desired outcomes. Nevertheless, I am not a rookie attempting to prove myself or establish my presence. I have a track record in this sport. I have evidence that I can win.
“But if we reach December and I haven’t been able to demonstrate that, then maybe I’ll think, ‘fine, I’m finished with this’ or ‘I’m not good enough.’ However, deep down, I don’t feel that way,” asserted Ricciardo.
The truth about Dan’s performance is that he never reached the same level he did at Red Bull. The Woking team tried everything to bring back the ‘old’ Dan, but their efforts were in vain, and they ultimately paid the Australian to leave and make room for a rookie.
This situation is familiar to 34-year-old Ricciardo: “I experienced this at McLaren, and I allowed myself to be influenced by the noise, which led to a loss of belief. I would question myself, ‘Damn, maybe I’ve lost my edge? Maybe I can’t do it anymore?’
“But now I find myself in a different mindset because I feel rejuvenated. That’s why it’s frustrating because it doesn’t make sense to me. If I perform well here and in Miami, suddenly it’s all forgotten. I don’t let it consume me, but deep down, I know I need to improve.”
While Ricciardo’s results are concerning, the same cannot be said for his teammate Yuki Tsunoda, who has consistently outperformed the veteran driver. Meanwhile, Sergio Perez has found success with a car at Red Bull that suits his preferences.
However, Ricciardo still holds onto the dream of returning to the Red Bull “senior” team that he once left in pursuit of financial gain: “Is it still a goal? Of course. But in my current position, I don’t want to discuss it because I know I need to do better.
“I’m also aware that if I start talking about it, the responses will be like, ‘mate, focus on where you are,’ and that’s the truth. And look, anything can happen in F1? Yes. But my prediction is that Max stays,” added Ricciardo, hinting at whether Verstappen will choose to move from Red Bull to Mercedes.