F1 News: Daniel Riccardo 'swimming uphill' in difficult return to grid

Daniel Ricciardo, VCARB, Visa, RB, Bahrain, 2024 — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

Riccardo 'swimming uphill' in difficult return to F1 grid

Daniel Ricciardo struggling as F1 season progresses

Shay Rogers

Tuesday 2 April 2024 00:00

Daniel Ricciardo is enduring a difficult time during his full-time Formula 1 comeback season as pressure mounts on him regarding his future.

The Aussie is yet to pick up any points in 2024 and has been outclassed by Japanese team-mate Yuki Tsunoda so far.

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Hopes of a seat with Red Bull for next year are fading fast as he fails to utilise his experience and lead his Visa Cash App RB team to a better constructors’ championship position.

He’s now looking behind his shoulder more than he is ahead of himself, with the exciting young Kiwi Liam Lawson waiting in the wings for another opportunity in Formula 1 machinery.

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“Unfortunately, Danny is swimming upstream,” he said. “I think he’s in a massive hole at the moment I hate to say it as a massive Danny Ric fan. You can see the look all over his face – he's a dejected figure.

“He got that love back when he was here last year, and he saw what he was missing out on.

"I think he believed going back into that Red Bull stable, that it was all just going to come to him again," MacKinnon continued.

“He was in exactly the same position when he was in McLaren. Remember how hard he was battling away and then somehow, he jagged that victory and it seemed to right all the wrongs?

"But we know it didn’t work out in the end. I know there’s pressure coming.”

Red Bull Formula 1 Daniel Ricciardo Yuki Tsunoda Liam Lawson