daniel ricciardo, vcrab, red bull, graphic — Photo: © IMAGO

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Astonishing details of Ricciardo's F1 COMEBACK revealed

Daniel Ricciardo attempts at a F1 comeback analysised

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Accredited motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Thursday 30 January 2025 21:57 Updated: 12:55

Daniel Ricciardo’s Formula 1 comeback was supposed to revive his racing career, and launch him back into a race winning car with Red Bull - but what really went wrong for the Australian driver?

Ricciardo was perfectly poised to replace a struggling Sergio Perez in 2024, with the Mexican driver ultimately axed at the end of the season.

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However, Ricciardo failed to demonstrate the same pace he displayed in his early Red Bull years, and found himself receiving a brutal mid-season axe instead of a fairytale return to the main team.

Months after his departure, it is time to explore the astonishing details that prevented a full Ricciardo comeback, and how it taught Red Bull a lesson they are unlikely to repeat again.

Daniel Ricciardo failed to make a full-time return to Red Bull

Daniel Ricciardo was axed after the Singapore GP

Click here to buy the unofficial Danny Ric vintage style racing graphic tee.

Why did Ricciardo fail to make a F1 comeback?

Ricciardo’s initial decline can be traced back to his time at McLaren, where he was bested by former team-mate Lando Norris.

The 35-year-old pinpointed his constant battle with the car as his main weakness, struggling on the corner exits and moving away from his own strengths as a driver as he tried to tackle the MCL36.

Even the team failed to comprehend his struggles, but the significant updates brought to the 2022 Spanish GP really exposed the gulf between Ricciardo and his team-mate Norris.

The gap between the pair widened, and Ricciardo ended up finishing 85 points behind the Brit, prompting McLaren to replace him with Oscar Piastri.

Daniel Ricciardo enjoyed one win in an otherwise difficult McLaren career

After sitting out the first half of 2023, Ricciardo was offered a career lifeline when he returned to the Red Bull family.

However, the root of Ricciardo's future struggles were introduced alongside a crucial upgrade during the 2023 season finale in Abu Dhabi according to Racing Bulls CEO, Peter Bayer.

He identified the ‘new generation floor’, brought about by the ground effect rules, as a major issue for Ricciardo, whilst Yuki Tsunoda had no problem with these changes.

In fact, it was the Japanese driver who achieved Racing Bulls’ major haul of points in 2024, as it became clear the current generation of cars did not suit Ricciardo’s driving style, with the Aussie unable to rely on the late braking manoeuvres he had become renowned for.

Yuki Tsunoda did not encounter the same issues as Daniel Ricciardo in 2024

The ground effect era alone cannot be blamed for Ricciardo’s decline, with the best drivers able to overcome a car that does not suit them, proving the Aussie lacked the adaptability needed at the top of F1.

Furthermore, Ricciardo had simply passed the peak of abilities by 2024, with younger drivers such as Franco Colapinto and Ollie Bearman all able to offer strong performances on their F1 debuts, highlighting his weaknesses even more.

Ricciardo’s failure to adapt in 2024 has also served as a warning to Red Bull that they will not ignore again.

If the team had been more decisive over Ricciardo's and Perez's future, and trusted in the ability of their younger drivers, the 2024 season may have resulted in a stronger outcome in the constructors' championship.

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Sheona Mountford - F1 Journalist

Sheona Mountford is a motorsport journalist specialising in F1. As a writer and contributor, she covers a wide range of motorsport series from F1 to F1 Academy, responsible for breaking news, live race coverage and in depth analysis of the sport and the culture around it.

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Red Bull Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Daniel Ricciardo Sergio Perez