Daniel Ricciardo had a tough start to the 2024 F1 season compared to his teammate, Yuki Tsunoda.
Heading into the season, Ricciardo was considered the team’s lead driver. However, a disastrous weekend in Saudi Arabia did not meet the Australian’s expectations. After the race, Ricciardo attributed his poor performance to his car and highlighted its deficiencies.
Ricciardo qualified behind Tsunoda for the Saturday race. Despite this, the 34-year-old driver remained optimistic about the race and aimed to finish with more points. Unfortunately, the race turned out even worse for him as he had a slow pit stop and later spun out, causing him to drop back in the pack.
During his interaction with the media, Ricciardo explained:
Daniel Ricciardo further discussed his disappointing performance during the race and shared the issues with the 2024 car. As a result, he finished 16th in the race and provided feedback to the engineers in Faenza to address the car’s problems. Consequently, Ricciardo is hoping for a better result in Melbourne and for the car’s issues to be resolved by then.
With a disappointing weekend in Saudi Arabia and two unsuccessful qualifying sessions at the start of the 2024 season, Ricciardo began the campaign at a disadvantage. As a result, he may face consequences if he does not improve in the upcoming races.
When asked about the VCARB drivers’ performance, Marko stated:
The Austrian emphasized that Tsunoda has been on par with Ricciardo in the first two stages. Additionally, Ricciardo’s qualifying speed has decreased, and exceptional performances like in Mexico could revive his chances of securing a seat at Red Bull.
However, there is still a long way to go before the end of the season and Ricciardo will have plenty of opportunities to prove his worth in the competitive F1 grid. Additionally, the 34-year-old driver is the top candidate for the seat at Red Bull and is actively seeking that opportunity.
