Daniel Ricciardo’s 2025 F1 plans remain unknown at this time.
Daniel Ricciardo has revealed how his bad experience at McLaren helped him recover from a slow start to the F1 2024 season, admitting he feared the RB team “would starting panicking” after a challenging first few races.
Having reclaimed his place on the grid last year, Ricciardo had been expected to make a strong start to F1 2024 with the benefit of a full pre-season behind him and the prize of a return to Red Bull Racing potentially up for grabs.
Daniel Ricciardo reassured RB after poor start to F1 2024
Nevertheless, the 34-year-old encountered difficulties alongside his teammate Yuki Tsunoda during the initial races in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Australia, and Japan. His struggles persisted until he retired from the race in Japan due to a collision with Alex Albon’s Williams on the first lap.
According to reports, it was suggested that Ricciardo was running out of time to secure his seat after Suzuka. However, PlanetF1.com has learned that a mid-season replacement with Liam Lawson, Red Bull’s skilled reserve driver, was not seriously considered at that point.
Since switching chassis before the Chinese Grand Prix last month, Ricciardo has experienced a positive turn of events, culminating in his fourth-place finish in the Miami sprint race.
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Despite his continuous efforts, he has failed to earn any points in the F1 2024 grand prix thus far. As the ninth round of the season, the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix poses another opportunity for him to turn his luck around.
Ricciardo’s initial difficulties in the season resembled his challenges at McLaren, where he faced significant defeat at the hands of Lando Norris throughout two demanding seasons before ultimately being released at the conclusion of F1 2022.
When asked whether his previous challenges had aided him in managing his inconsistent performance in early F1 2024, Ricciardo responded affirmatively to Speed City Broadcasting, stating, “Absolutely.”
“After experiencing it firsthand and reflecting on my past experiences at McLaren, I realized the significance of taking a break last year.”
“I had a list of reminders for myself when it came to returning to F1 and securing a seat again. I made a conscious effort to learn from my past experiences and avoid repeating certain mistakes.”
I was afraid of that happening during the initial races this year.
I experienced a strong sense of well-being, self-assurance, and contentment, with no doubts or uncertainties clouding my mind.
There were moments when I was confused about our lack of pace, but I never doubted myself or questioned if I had lost my abilities or if my time was up.
“I was concerned about the team’s potential panic, so I calmly conveyed to them: ‘Guys, have faith in me. We are in a good position. Let’s remain focused, avoid overreacting or taking too many suggestions. We are on track, and everything will become clear soon.'”
“Definitely some experience helped with that.
“I may not have control over the narrative in every aspect, but when it comes to myself and my engineer, it was crucial for us to remain united and disregard irrelevant distractions.”
In an exclusive interview with PlanetF1.com at the recent Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Ricciardo revealed that he is “absolutely” ready to return to Red Bull’s senior team if the call comes for F1 2025.
He firmly holds onto his performance during a July 2023 tyre test at Silverstone. Despite coming in second behind Max Verstappen on the British Grand Prix grid, his fastest lap behind the title-winning RB19 serves as undeniable evidence that he can still compete among the leaders.
He expressed his belief that it hasn’t slipped away, acknowledging uncertainty about the future. He emphasized the importance of taking action similar to what he did in Miami and doing so more frequently.
“But the biggest indication for me came last year when I got into that car and, after spending seven to eight months on the couch, achieved the lap time that I did.”
“That was everything I needed.
I recently witnessed it alongside my team. Christian Horner, Red Bull team principal, had a smile on his face. It brought about a sense of excitement and possibility, and I was able to prove everyone’s belief in my abilities. It was truly a satisfying moment.
“While there are no certainties, I have a strong desire to return to that place someday. I will persistently work towards making it happen.”
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