‘It’s horrible’: Daniel Ricciardo to ‘disappear’ from F1 grid in damning verdict

It appears increasingly likely Daniel Ricciardo will soon “disappear” from F1 amid a damning verdict on the Aussie’s future.

Daniel Ricciardo’s spot on the F1 grid is under threat. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)

The Formula One season is only two races old but Daniel Ricciardo is already under pressure to prove he’s not washed up as fears grow this could be his last year in the sport.

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.

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He has never finished on the podium at the Australian Grand Prix, where his best result is fourth with Red Bull in 2016 and 2018.

The 34-year-old will be hoping he can finish in the top 10 in Melbourne this weekend amid mounting pressure.

Alan Jones, the last Australian to win an F1 title in 1980, said this week he believes Ricciardo is “treading water” and his best days as a driver are behind him.

“I hate to say it, but I think we have seen the best days (from Ricciardo),” Jones told the Herald Sun.

“He has had his bum in a few decent cars, irrespective of what people say.

“The Alpine or the McLaren, the car that he is in right now … at the end of the day he has got to start beating his teammate for a start.

“I would love him to become super competitive and be up there challenging in the points, but I just think that maybe a couple of things have got to change before we see that.

“Bad luck, or otherwise, I’m sure Daniel would like to have had better results than what he has had.”

Daniel Ricciardo needs top 10 finishes soon. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

Now, former F1 driver Johnny Herbert told news.com.au 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,” Herbert said, per BetIdeas.com.

“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.”

More than half the grid is out of contract at the end this season and with New Zealand youngster Liam Lawson waiting in the wings and British teenager Ollie Bearman impressing on his fill-in debut for Ferrari, Ricciardo could be squeezed out.

“There’s a lot more races to go but I would not put Daniel on my list unfortunately,” Herbert said.

“It’s horrible because I know from my experience — there’s a peak in your career where everything goes very well.

“It was the end of that Red Bull time and when he moved over to Renault and Renault wasn’t very competitive. Then we saw him struggle at McLaren with Lando (Norris).

“Then you don’t see the Daniel of old. You see the Daniel at the end of his career, sadly.

“Every driver that’s been in Formula One always has this towards the end of their career when they tail off, hang on for a couple of teams then eventually disappear.

“Then you add on Lawson and Bearman., the new generation come along. They’re refreshing, they’re young and they’re the future.

This is Ricciardo’s 14th season in F1 after he made his debut back in 2011.

Herbert said if Ricciardo’s results don’t improve, the Visa Cash App RB team would have to consider: “Do I have someone who’s got all this experience, who’s a race winner, but he hasn’t got what this young generation of drivers have got?

“They’ve got the hunger. He’s still got the hunger but you’ve got to see the performance as well. He hasn’t achieved what probably everyone was expecting to see. For me, he wouldn’t be on my list.”

Herbert also noted Ricciardo has been outqualified by his teammate Yuki Tsunoda in the two races so far this season.

“Everyone’s watching what you do against your teammate and Tsunoda has been faster at times,” he said.

“I think Tsunoda is quite consistent. In races, some errors come into play and he’s quite an emotional character, but fundamentally he’s been quicker than Daniel.”

Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo are racing for their F1 futures this year. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

Ricciardo with his old teammate Max Verstappen. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

Jones said something would have to change for Ricciardo’s fortunes to turn around in the 22 remaining races.

“At the end of the day we can’t be blaming the car all the time, which has been a bit of a tendency in the past,” he said.

“I would love to see Daniel go extremely well in Melbourne, I would like to see Daniel go extremely well, period.

“But I just think that his luck is going to have to change or he is going to have to lift his game if he has got any chance of getting back in that Red Bull team or getting back into a more competitive car.

“He (Ricciardo) is treading water. He really needs to have some very good results and put up a good show, he can’t be dwelling down where he is.”

Daniel Ricciardo will first get the chance to prove the experts wrong when he suits up for qualifying at the Australian Grand Prix on Saturday before the race on Sunday at 3pm AEDT.

Originally published as ‘It’s horrible’: Daniel Ricciardo to ‘disappear’ from F1 grid in damning verdict