There was some extent in direction of the tip of final 12 months when there was a real feeling that Daniel Ricciardo was lining up to take Sergio Pérez’s System One seat at Pink Bull for 2025.
Ricciardo made clear upon his mid-season return to the grid with AlphaTauri (now RB) that getting again within the Pink Bull, the identical seat he vacated again in 2018, was his final goal. As Pérez struggled by the second half of the season, strategies of that taking place solely grew.
However, Ricciardo did little or no to press his case within the early a part of 2024. He ceaselessly trailing teammate Yuki Tsunoda and, apart from his run to P4 within the Miami dash qualifying and race, had not delivered a factors end forward of Canada and sat 14th within the driver standings. In the meantime, Pérez carried out properly sufficient to safe a contract extension by 2026, ending Ricciardo’s hopes of shifting up anytime within the close to future.
Off the again of Pérez’s affirmation, Ricciardo acknowledged he needed to “maintain myself most likely accountable for not doing something too spectacular” this season. “Once you’re attempting to battle for a high seat, that you must be doing a little fairly superior issues,” he mentioned.
By the Canadian Grand Prix, Ricciardo’s robust begin to the season had modified his goal from preventing for a high seat to preventing for his present seat.
Nobody went additional in questioning Ricciardo’s future than Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 F1 world champion who was a part of Sky Sports activities’ broadcast group for his dwelling race in Montreal.
Jacques Villeneuve leveled harsh criticism at Daniel Ricciardo in Montreal. (Chris Graythen/Getty Photos)
“Why is he nonetheless right here?” Villeneuve mentioned of Ricciardo, asking why he continued to battle together with his vehicles and declaring that “his picture has saved him in F1 greater than his precise outcomes.” A brutal takedown, one which rapidly went viral given how uncommon it’s for a pundit to be so outspoken on an English-language F1 broadcast.
Villeneuve was harsh — maybe too harsh — however few would dispute the component of fact in what he mentioned. Ricciardo has been clear all through this 12 months he is aware of he’s not been doing a adequate job, and has loads extra efficiency to search out.
Simply 24 hours later, he discovered it. In tough, windy circumstances, Ricciardo not solely made it by to Q3 for simply the second time this season, however he caught his RB automotive fifth on the grid, inside two-tenths of pole place. Good timing, significantly off the again of Tsunoda’s affirmation at RB for 2025 solely 90 minutes earlier.
It meant Ricciardo entered the media pen after qualifying with a few of his outdated swagger and sparkle. He knew the questions that have been about to return, that Villeneuve’s identify would come up. Ricciardo hadn’t totally listened to what had been mentioned about him, he mentioned, solely that he “heard he’s been speaking s—.”
“However he at all times does,” Ricciardo continued. “I feel he’s hit his head just a few too many occasions, I don’t know if he performs ice hockey or one thing. However yeah. Anyway. I gained’t give him the time of day.” Then got here a “however…” and a lean in near the microphones: “All these folks can suck it! I need to say extra, but it surely’s alright. We’ll go away him behind.”
It was solely qualifying, in spite of everything. We’d seen this type of flash from Ricciardo in Miami within the dash, just for it to vanish when it mattered within the grand prix classes. This was nonetheless a superbly timed clapback to Villeneuve’s criticism.
However to instantly hyperlink the 2 would do Ricciardo a disservice. He revealed that after Monaco, he made a concerted effort to attempt to perceive why issues weren’t working, going past his on-track efficiency and knowledge corresponding to braking factors or nook speeds. It required calling on not solely the group’s administration and engineers, but in addition his inner-circle off the observe, and asking them to be open books with their suggestions.
Ricciardo certified P5 and completed P8 over a wet weekend in Montreal. (Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Photos)
“It was like, OK, what are possibly another issues which can be affecting my performances?” Ricciardo mentioned. “Am I coming right into a race weekend not feeling energized or not feeling this or that?
“I feel I simply had somewhat bit of excellent self-therapy after Monaco, and simply sat again and had a take a look at possibly the issues I’m doing flawed away from the observe. Or giving an excessive amount of of my time to folks and by the point I get to race day or one thing, I’m somewhat bit extra flat.
“Deep down, I do know what I can do, and it’s simply ensuring I’m on this spot to have the ability to do it extra usually.”
And ensuring that these flashes of tempo flip into one thing useful when it issues on Sunday. Ricciardo’s Canadian Grand Prix was removed from simple, with a creeping automotive on the beginning line — which Ricciardo suspected was as a consequence of a clutch subject — triggering a soar begin and a five-second penalty. He managed to outlive the chaos and profit from some late incidents to seize 4 factors for P8, almost doubling his whole for the season. That alone within the high-pressure circumstances felt like a hit to Ricciardo.
“All in all, (I’m) completely happy,” he mentioned. “These races, it’s arduous to be good. I made errors, clearly we have been simply attempting to outlive at occasions. So (I’m) simply completely happy we obtained there in the long run.”
Canada marked the primary points-scoring grand prix for Ricciardo. (Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Photos)
The larger takeaway for Ricciardo from the Montreal weekend was that it went properly from the second he turned his first laps in FP1 proper to the race. For the primary time this season, each single session felt optimistic.
“It’s good simply to be aggressive from Friday by to Sunday,” Ricciardo mentioned. “I’m completely happy. (I’ve) simply obtained to maintain it rolling.”
Ricciardo has time on his facet on the subject of proving to Pink Bull what he can do and securing an extension with RB. If it desires to make a change, then reserve driver Liam Lawson is able to step up, because the younger Kiwi proved by his five-race stand-in when Ricciardo was injured final 12 months. However there’s no purpose for the group to hurry into making that decision but.
Ricciardo will hope Montreal serves as a turning level in his season, a breakthrough after the sooner lifts to raised perceive the place he was going flawed. Importantly, he additionally desires to make sure he retains the sensation he dropped at final weekend.
“That little power, that little little bit of a chip on my shoulder I introduced into the weekend, I’ve obtained to guarantee that stays there, and simply maintain that stage of depth,” Ricciardo mentioned.
“Generally being somewhat bit… I don’t know if I have to be a bit offended or simply get my testosterone up. However I feel it helps me.”
(Lead picture of Daniel Ricciardo: Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Photos)
