F1 News: Red Bull boss shares HARSH verdict on star driver

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

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Red Bull boss shares HARSH verdict on star driver

The Australian has been subject to intense criticism of late

By Rhys Thomas.

Wednesday 12 June 2024 15:00

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has delivered some harsh criticism on Daniel Ricciardo's performance after a mixed start to the 2024 season.

The Australian has shown topsy turvy form since returning to the sport, and picked up his only points of the season during the Miami Grand Prix sprint race.

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His team-mate Yuki Tsunoda, meanwhile, has racked up 19 points so far in 2024, and out-qualified Ricciardo 7-2 this season, and the team have opted to activate a clause to extend the Japanese driver's contract into 2025.

Ricciardo came under intense scrutiny going into the Canadian GP weekend, most notably from 1997 F1 champion Jacques Villeneuve, whose no-filter criticism attracted attention.

Daniel Ricciardo has been inconsistent since his F1 return

Yuki Tsunoda's contract was recently extended

What did Helmut Marko say about Daniel Ricciardo?

Tsunoda graduated to the grid from that academy four season ago, and will drive for the Red Bull junior team for a fifth season running in 2025.

On his new deal, Marko told Sky Germany: "He performs consistently well and his personal behaviour has also developed enormously. He has got his emotions under control. His physical stature is now such that he can complete a race without any problems.

"It was actually quite clear, he was one of our first Japanese juniors and he gradually improved.

"A little too slow in the beginning but now he is one of the most sought-after drivers on the market.

Helmut Marko is director of the Red Bull F1 teams

"[His physical side] was one issue and his outbursts of anger were another. It has been proven that he drove more slowly when he let go of his anger. But that has now been resolved with the help of appropriate physiotherapists and psychologists.

Tsunoda's new contract throws Ricciardo's future into further doubt, but there is no uncertainty as to how Marko sees things between the two drivers.

"He [Tsunoda] is now a complete driver and has proven compared to Ricciardo that he is the faster and better man."

Red Bull Daniel Ricciardo Yuki Tsunoda Helmut Marko Miami Grand Prix Jacques Villeneuve