‘Too slow’: Daniel Ricciardo given F1 ultimatum ahead of Australian Grand Prix
Daniel Ricciardo has been given the rev-up yet again, with Red Bull supremo Helmut Marko describing his performance as “too slow”.
Daniel Ricciardo says he’s used to Helmut Marko piling on the pressure as the Red Bull supremo turned up the heat once again ahead of this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix.
This weekend is only the third race out of 24 this season, but there’s already pressure on Ricciardo to improve his results amid fears this could be his last year in F1.
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After impressing in pre-season testing, Ricciardo finished 13th in Bahrain amid a team orders controversy and 16th in Saudi Arabia after he spun out in a rare driving mistake.
With Sergio Perez starting the season well at Red Bull, Ricciardo will be hoping he can finish in the top 10 in Melbourne on Sunday.
Marko, Red Bull’s senior motorsport advisor, said both Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda were “too slow” and called for Ricciardo to “come up with something soon”.
“There’s a lot at stake for (Tsunoda and Ricciardo),” Marko told Sky Sports Germany.
“Both might be hoping for a seat at Red Bull, and one should be well ahead of the other.
“So far Ricciardo is a bit behind.
“But let’s put it this way: Tsunoda’s qualifying speed is okay. But in the race, both are too slow.”
Ricciardo insists he’s taking it one race at a time with Visa Cash App RB and isn’t allowing himself to think about returning to Red Bull just yet.
“I enjoy being back in the Red Bull family because I enjoy that little bit of extra whatever it is from Helmut, where it’s like, ‘I know he’s always going to be on my arse’,” Ricciardo told Fox Sports.
“That’s how he is. That’s fine. I’m totally okay with that.”
“I think from the outside some people are like, ‘Oh, is it panic mode? Or is it crisis mode? Or what’s going on?’
“Nothing’s going on. In Bahrain I didn’t do a good enough job in qualifying, so yeah, that’s on me. In Saudi we had some issues, as simple as that. That was that.
“I’m not in a state of, ‘Sh*t, there’s a lot of pressure on or whatever’. The pressure I put is on myself.”
Former F1 driver Johnny Herbert told news.com.au this week Ricciardo “isn’t on my list” of drivers who would challenge for Sergio Perez’s Red Bull seat or even to stay on the grid next season.
“The reviving of the career, it hasn’t quite materialised,” he said.
“Ricciardo’s had his times. It was brilliant what he did in Mexico last year but was it a one-off.
“The one-offs are something where we need to see those performances all the same.
“Then you don’t see the Daniel of old. You see the Daniel at the end of his career, sadly.”
Meanwhile, Williams will be without Logan Sargeant after opting to drop him for the weekend because they did not bring a spare chassis to Australia.
Alex Albon crashed during practice on Friday and Williams made the brutal decision to let Albon race Sargeant’s car for qualifying and the race, leaving the American without a drive.
Williams team principal James Vowles described the situation as “unacceptable” and Albon can thank his lucky stars he is able to drive in qualifying on Saturday — his 28th birthday no less.
Qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix takes place at 4pm AEDT on Saturday and the race begins on Sunday at 3pm AEDT.
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