Daniel Ricciardo’s Best Days Are Behind Him; Australian Champion Issues Disappointing Verdict for the Honey Badger

How the tables have turned for Daniel Ricciardo since his last season with Red Bull Racing. While his championship standing of 6th might suggest otherwise, 2018 was one of the strongest seasons in the Aussie’s career. Apart from his season-destroying 8 DNFs owing to mechanical failures, Ricciardo finished in the top 5 in all but two races with 2 race victories to his name as well. However, since he walked away from the Milton Keynes squad, his career has taken a downward trajectory.

His performance deficit at McLaren was especially jarring compared to his teammate Lando Norris. And even after his much-anticipated return to the Red Bull Family, Ricciardo seems to have lost his edge after having been beaten by his relatively less experienced teammate Yuki Tsunoda in both opening races of the 2024 silly season. This has led the former Australian Formula 1 champion, Alan Jones, to speculate that Daniel Ricciardo is well beyond his prime.

Alan Jones would like Daniel Ricciardo to be super competitive once again

Ricciardo’s journey in 2024 with Red Bull’s junior team hasn’t begun as smoothly as many had hoped. Though there was anticipation surrounding his potential return to the senior squad in 2025, that might be under doubt as Ricciardo hasn’t been able to outperform his teammate. A disappointing P16 finish in Saudi Arabia, worsened by issues such as a lengthy pit stop and an unforced spin, has only added to the pressure on the Visa Cash App RB driver.

In a recent conversation with the Herald Sun, Alan Jones emphasized that Ricciardo needs to step up his game significantly if he hopes to secure a return to Red Bull Racing or land a seat in a more competitive team. However, he also suggested that the Australian driver may have already experienced his peak days in the sport.

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

The remarks from Jones are really just a continuation of the assessment he made last season after Ricciardo had to take a sabbatical after having been sacked by McLaren.

Alan Jones thought that Daniel Ricciardo had lost himself

Ricciardo, who was once hailed as Australia’s brightest star in F1, found himself without a seat midway through the 2022 season, replaced by fellow countryman Oscar Piastri at McLaren. This unexpected turn of events left many scratching their heads, including Alan Jones, who couldn’t quite pinpoint the reasons behind Ricciardo’s downfall.

“I don’t think Daniel knows himself,“ Jones remarked as per Fox Sports at the start of last season, reflecting on the confusion surrounding Ricciardo’s situation at the Woking squad. “I think I really don’t know. I’ve tried to analyze it. I don’t know why he went off the boil.”

Do you think the Honey Badger can find his way back to his previous form to make his dream of a return to Red Bull come true? Share your predictions and insights in the comments down below.

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