Daniel Ricciardo is under pressure at RB after four disappointing races this season. The Australian driver has failed to meet expectations since his return to F1 last season. He had a disappointing start to the 2024 season, failing to score points in the first four races. Now, a former Le Mans winner has given his opinion on Ricciardo’s future at RB.
Ricciardo’s current contract will expire at the end of this year. He was hoping to convince Red Bull to extend his contract at their sister team or potentially promote him to Milton Keynes. However, Bradley, the former Le Mans winner, insisted that Ricciardo will definitely be released by the Faenza-based team, possibly after two more races. Bradley believes that another driver would be the ideal replacement for the 34-year-old Australian.
According to the Briton, Daniel Ricciardo will no longer be competing in F1 by the time the sport reaches its European leg in the second half of May. However, Ricciardo’s presence at RB is believed to be crucial for the team’s $35 million title partnership with Visa and CashApp. Despite his declining results, the Australian driver still has a large fan base.
Daniel Ricciardo’s race in Miami ended early. He collided with the barriers after making contact with Alex Albon on the first lap. This incident further affected Ricciardo’s future prospects, especially as his teammate scored a point for RB. Tsunoda became the first Japanese driver in over a decade to score points at Suzuka.
Richard Bradley stated that Daniel Ricciardo seemed to have lost focus during the Japanese GP. The Australian driver should have been more cautious regarding the blind spot at the start of the race. Bradley insisted that Ricciardo’s mistake was more typical of a Formula 4 driver than an eight-time F1 race winner.
Daniel Ricciardo needs to improve his performance in the upcoming races. If his results do not improve, he will inevitably lose his place next season. However, Red Bull has shown support for the 34-year-old driver so far. Fans are hoping to see Ricciardo push himself to the limit throughout this season.
