Scotty James Finds Unique Way To Uplift Daniel Ricciardo as F1 Star Rues Over Misfortunes

Daniel Ricciardo’s comeback had fans bubbling with excitement! His return to the pinnacle of motorsport took a hit after a crash at Zandvoort fractured his metacarpal bone. Unfortunately, fans of the Honey Badger would have to see the man back in action! As the grid rocked up to the US GP, Ricciardo was ready to put on a show.

But the rain would come pouring on the Honey Badger’s parade midway through the race. While he had a solid start, fighting for P10, the Aussie started to drop like a stone down the order after he had picked up some debris. An upset Ricciardo shared his disappointment on social media, which prompted a familiar ally & friend Scotty James to try and lighten the mood.

Scotty James tries to bring Ricciardo’s grin back after tough US GP

Ricciardo’s comeback to AlphaTauri fell short of what fans had expected. The Aussie crossed the checkered flag dead last in 17th, a stark contrast to Tsunoda, who entered the points in 10th. After a five-session break, it was not the return he had hoped for. The Aussie took to Instagram to share a post with his fans. Ricciardo was upset that the damage had cost him dearly, promising to return to the city that he adores. He might not feel down for too long though! After all, his close mate was there to make light of the result.

Two-time Olympic medallist Scotty James is no stranger to the world of Formula 1. The snowboarder is married to Lance Stroll’s sister, Chloe Stroll. And his connections in the sport don’t end there! He’s old friends with Ricciardo, as evident by the banter that unfolded between the two. While Ricciardo was focused on the lows, Scotty James was quick to point out every fan’s highlight – The snowboarder said, “Let’s be real. The horseshoe beard won.”

Daniel Ricciardo is one of the most eccentric personalities on the grid, from his ‘shoey’ shenanigans to his immediate chemistry with every teammate. Fans were delighted with his Texan ways as he rocked a cowboy hat oozing style. Just can’t hate the guy. Can you?

READ MORE: Liam Lawson Massively Credits Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo for Sensational F1 Debut

However, there might be one driver in the Red Bull camp who might just benefit from Ricciardo’s misfortune, if it was to continue.

Daniel Ricciardo’s US GP outing might be Sergio Perez’s saving grace

Sergio Perez may have cleared the threat from Hamilton for the second spot in the driver’s standings, but the threat to the second Red Bull seat still remains! Daniel Ricciardo has made his ambitions known, expecting to work his way into Red Bull’s flagship team once again. But Sergio Perez has a contract with the Milton Keynes outfit till the end of 2024, if the contract holds, that is. What might make things easier for Ricciardo is his rapport with Red Bull’s boss Christian Horner, and chief advisor, Helmut Marko. The Australian achieved 7 of his 8 career wins with the Milton Keynes outfit, but left in search of a new team when the pressure from Verstappen was mounting.

But with Liam Lawson’s performance as his stand-in, it’s not just Perez who is under threat. While Ricciardo is aiming for the top seat, he cannot afford to lose out to Tsunoda. Lawson had mostly matched Tsunoda during his time as the Super-sub, and the Red Bull camp will expect Ricciardo to do better than the rookie for sure. Adding to his misery, Tsunoda bagged a great result for the team, finishing P10 on merit, and was later promoted to P8 after Lewis Hamilton and Leclerc’s disqualification. Ricciardo was quoted by racingnews365, “At best we are a top 10 car and when you put damage into it, we are certainly out of the points.” – the Austin sun was not too kind to the Australian, burning his hopes of a points finish.

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However, let’s cut Ricciardo some slack here! The Honey Badger has just recovered from a gruesome injury, it’s too soon to pass any judgments. But his result has sparked a lot of questions in fans’ minds. Will Daniel Ricciardo’s comeback fall short of his fantasies? Or was the US GP truly down to just damage from debris? The clock is ticking for Daniel Ricciardo!