Daniel Ricciardo, the Australian driver for RB, has been criticized by former Formula 1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve for his recent performance. During the Canadian Grand Prix, Villeneuve questioned Ricciardo’s position on the grid, leading to a war of words between the two. Despite qualifying in fifth place and finishing eighth, Ricciardo’s results did not convince Villeneuve to retract his comments. Villeneuve believes that Ricciardo’s behavior was unprofessional and not befitting of his role as a role model. He also expressed his opinion that Ricciardo’s performance has not been impressive since leaving Red Bull. Although Ricciardo scored points in the race, Villeneuve argues that it is not enough and that he needs to do more. Villeneuve’s comments seem to have motivated Ricciardo, as even Christian Horner acknowledged that it spurred him on. The reaction of the drivers in the media is something that Villeneuve finds incredible.
“It’s completely unprofessional and unrelated to the business, which is surprising. I can’t understand Daniel expressing the same sentiment towards other media, so it’s peculiar. If he claimed that someone got hurt playing ice hockey, how would that be constructive and professional? It’s incredibly immature, especially considering that people like Daniel are seen as role models and believe that this is the appropriate way to behave. One must be careful in such matters. I was quite perplexed when someone declares that they don’t care about others’ opinions. In Formula 1, you need to have thick skin because criticism is inevitable, and you need to deal with it. There’s no need to respond with something childish and insulting.”
A recent race marked the second occasion in which Ricciardo surpassed his less experienced teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, who has accumulated 10 more points this season. Villeneuve believes that Ricciardo, who was widely defeated by Lando Norris at McLaren before returning to Red Bull, receives excessive protection.
“I can’t understand why Daniel Ricciardo is so protected, but he has a significant aura around him,” he added. “Good for him, but imagine if he could prove it with real results? He hasn’t lived up to expectations, and his performance is inconsistent, so he knows he’s not up to par and hasn’t achieved satisfactory results. It’s as simple as that. There’s nothing wrong with acknowledging that. It may hurt, but you’re in F1, so just accept it and move on. The truth can be painful.”
