Unfortunate Daniel Ricciardo photo shows brutal truth for all involved

An unfortunate oversight involving Daniel Ricciardo at the Australian Grand Prix has created an awkward scene for all involved.

Daniel Ricciardo will return to the Australian Grand Prix this week without a car, but with the biggest fanbase at Albert Park.

The veteran driver will be there to haunt — and be haunted by — his former McLaren team after he was sensationally sacked last year and replaced with Aussie rookie Oscar Piastri.

The awkwardness of the situation is summed up by promotional images of the part-time Red Bull driver being plastered around the Melbourne track.

A photo captured by one Formula 1 fan captured in perfect detail why it is such a sad situation for the 33-year-old and the McLaren team that has become the biggest disappointment of the 2023 season.

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The photo — taken from an unfair angle — shows an advertising board featuring Ricciardo’s face overlooking a McLaren team marquee.

What a difference 12 months makes. The team will now be doing everything in its power to distance itself from Ricciardo and the bitterness many fans feel towards the team for the brutal circumstances leading up to the former Alpine/Renault driver’s axing.

Daniel Ricciardo is still there in spirit. Photo: Reddit, r/formula1.

Right now, it is Ricciardo who is winning the break-up.

It could all change if he is unable to win a seat for the 2024 season — but right now, getting sacked by McLaren is the best career move he has ever made.

He is taking a break from the mental and physical rigours of F1’s 23-race calendar, with his Red Bull role entailing simulator work and marketing duties at the races he has chosen to attend.

It’s worth remembering he walked away with a reported monster payout, with some reports claiming the contract termination was worth up to $24 million.

McLaren is tied with AlphaTauri for dead last in the constructors’ standings on zero points after two races and their season is already being written off as a disaster.

Engine failure meant Piastri couldn’t finish his debut in Bahrain, but the rookie impressed in Saudi Arabia, overtaking his teammate Lando Norris in the closing stages to finish 15th

It was another shocker for McLaren in Jeddah as both drivers were forced to come into the pits by lap 3 to replace their damaged front wings.

Daniel Ricciardo walked away from a sinking ship at McLaren. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)

Norris has finished 17th in both races, prompting speculation the highly touted Brit could be eyeing a move to Mercedes when Lewis Hamilton retires.

The F1 world declared Ricciardo was the big winner of the season opener in Bahrain and the reaction was very much the same after McLaren finished out of the points once again in Jeddah.

It will still hurt Ricciardo to be at the track, watching on without a seat. He said last week he wants the attention to be on his Red Bull teammates.

“This is the first year in as long as I can remember that my goals aren’t going to be 100% about racing and competing,” he wrote on LinkedIn.

“I’m back in an environment and ultimately a family that I have a lot of good memories with, and it feels really good to be back there,” he said.

“In turn that will develop my abilities, my confidence and my enjoyment behind the wheel.”

Ricciardo mentioned it was a “tough couple of years professionally”, but the competitive streak still ran within him.

“There’s an element of that competitor in me wanting to remind people that I’m still here, still a professional and still contributing to success,” he said.

Originally published as Unfortunate Daniel Ricciardo photo shows brutal truth for all involved