Daniel Ricciardo’s troubles continue to chase him in the 2024 season, with the V-CARB driver enduring a disappointing Q1 exit, followed by another pointless race on home ground. Yuki Tsunoda showcased his prowess by advancing into Q3 and outshining Ricciardo by leaving Australia with points in the bag. It all sounds strangely familiar to his cries in Papaya, but Ricciardo is convinced that it’s nothing like his McLaren days.
Reflecting on his performance after his home race, Ricciardo shared a lighthearted moment with Christian Horner, quipping about the team principal’s promises of warm waffles after the race. However, delving into the substance of their conversation, Ricciardo elaborated on Horner’s words of encouragement and support.
In conversation with Laura Winter on the F1 Post Race Show, Ricciardo explained, “He just wished me well and told me to keep my head down and not be discouraged.”
Reflecting on the negative comments online, and what the situation looks like, the Honey Badger refuses to accept the narrative. “I clearly know how I feel, and maybe not everyone does. But this is a very different situation to McLaren. Especially in 2022, I was running on very little confidence. And I was kinda confused with the car and didn’t really understand it. That was a completely different thing. This isn’t that.”
But Ricciardo is not delusional. He knows that he hasn’t achieved what he thought he would. But it’s not the same situation as it was in McLaren- “It’s not through just being lost or losing confidence.”
Expressing disappointment at a missed opportunity for a breakthrough at his home race, Ricciardo remained resolute in his conviction. “We’re not going to start letting the noise creep in. Stay true to the course and it’ll turn around,” he affirmed, exuding determination in the face of adversity.
Daniel Ricciardo is questioning everything
Despite the positive attitude, Daniel Ricciardo knows it isn’t enough. Ricciardo admits that the car isn’t that much different from the one they had last year, but his constant calls to find a problem means something is up. “I’m trying to get them to go around the car with a magnifying glass to make sure nothing’s off.”
Ricciardo is desperate to find a solution and go back to his points-scoring form. “You wanna ask as many questions as possible and make sure we got everything as it should. I’m sure we’ll find something.”
To recap recent events, following the qualifying session in Jeddah, an issue with the car emerged. After the session in Australia, Ricciardo once again expressed dissatisfaction with the car’s performance and the entire PU was changed.
The situation begs the question: what is happening behind the scenes at V-CARB? Yuki Tsunoda has pushed the team to the points and has demonstrated a decent car. Ricciardo’s insistence on thorough inspection suggests a driver for perfection and a determination to resolve any underlying issues impacting his performance on the track.
There’s a lot on the line for the driver, with the Red Bull seat glistening in his eyes. Will his call to the glory days be fulfilled?
