Red Bull boss laments Daniel Ricciardo’s miserable-looking future

RED Bull’s chief adviser has pity for Daniel Ricciardo, declaring the Australian has a bleak future ahead of him after leaving Red Bull.

Red Bull Racing driver Daniel Ricciardo, of Australia, speaks during a news conference for the Formula One U.S. Grand Prix auto race at the Circuit of the Americas, Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

RED Bull chief adviser Helmut Marko says Daniel Ricciardo has a bleak two years ahead of him.

The Aussie lost his cool after suffering another early DNF at the US Grand Prix when his Renault engine lost power.

Ricciardo has admitted time is running out for him to make one last splash in his Red Bull before hopping to Renault next year on a two-year deal.

Marko has now suggested that Ricciardo’s anger may carry for the entire two years of his deal with the French team.

“Poor him, he will have to live with these problems for another two years,” Marko said, according to grandprix247.com.

Daniel Ricciardo can’t take a trick.

Red Bull is switching to Honda power units next season and Marko believes his team is on a trajectory to win the 2019 Formula 1 world championship with Max Verstappen next year.

“Next year with the Honda engine I think we can fight for the world championship, the project is really very good and I’m absolutely serious,” he said.

Honda, which has supplied Red Bull development outfit Toro Rosso’s power units in 2018, has also struggled for performance, compared to leaders Mercedes and Ferrari.

Renault’s problems have been a lack of reliability.

The US Grand Prix was Ricciardo’s seventh DNF of the 2018 season.

Ricciardo was so angry he punched a hole in a wall after the power failure in Austin, according to his Red Bull team chief Christian Horner.

Daniel Ricciardo’s Red Bull in action.

While his teammate Verstappen stormed from 18th on the grid to finish second with a dazzling drive, Ricciardo was left frustrated again in a season that has seen him suffer a loss of form.

“It’s a crying shame for Daniel, I feel so sorry for him,” Horner told reporters after the race won by Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen.

“It was an identical issue to that which he had in Bahrain where it was a complete shut down.” Ricciardo, who leaves Red Bull for Renault next season, was battling for a possible podium finish when he was forced into retirement.

“He’s just taken his frustration out on his room by putting his fist through the wall, which you can totally relate to,” added Horner.

“He doesn’t blame the team in any way. He knows we’re doing everything we can, it’s just one of those things.”

— with AFP