McLaren’s decision to part ways with Ricciardo at the end of 2022 has caused many to lose faith in him. Johnny Herbert, for instance, has stated that Ricciardo’s last chance has now vanished. Even Helmut Marko, Red Bull advisor responsible for driver affairs in the F1 World Championship, is perplexed by the fact that 23-year-old Yuki Tsunoda is outperforming the 34-year-old Ricciardo. Rumor has it that Ricciardo has a couple of Grand Prix weekends to prove himself more deserving of his seat than the highly regarded Liam Lawson, who is waiting in the wings.
Despite the mounting pressure, Ricciardo remains in denial and is determined to prove his doubters wrong. In Japan, he told reporters, “It’s interesting because, on paper, things haven’t been going well – and I’m aware that the results haven’t been what I desired. However, personally, my confidence and happiness remain unchanged. It’s now a matter of achieving a result and putting certain doubts to rest. Personally, I feel really good, which is why it’s been a bit strange to understand why the results haven’t materialized yet.”
Ricciardo insists that he doesn’t need to make any changes and that success will come. He believes it’s just a matter of fine-tuning a few things and that a breakthrough is only one weekend away. He reflects on his disappointment in Melbourne, where he didn’t score any points, but he emphasizes that there were positives to take away from the race. He acknowledges the need to bring everything together and is determined to do so. Ricciardo expresses his optimism, saying, “It’s always refreshing to spend a few days at home before coming here. While I can’t predict what will happen this weekend, I genuinely believe I can achieve a good result.”
It should have been a straightforward task for Ricciardo to outperform a driver of Tsunoda’s caliber. Ricciardo shamelessly coveted Sergio Perez’s seat and a reunion with Max Verstappen as his teammate. This desire comes after six years of anonymity in Formula 1 following his departure from Red Bull Racing in pursuit of the financial rewards offered by Renault. In stark contrast, Verstappen has gone on to win 48 Grand Prix races and secure three world titles. The comparison is clear – there is no competition. (Reporting by Agnes Carlier)