Jacques Villeneuve has slammed Daniel Ricciardo, saying he cannot understand the excuses that the Formula 1 driver should “go home” and hand over his seat to someone else.
Daniel Ricciardo, who returned to the F1 grid last season with Red Bull’s junior team, has spoken of his dream of finishing his career with the senior team with which he won seven Grand Prix between 2014 and 2018.
Jacques Villeneuve questions why Daniel Ricciardo is still in F1
That door was closed earlier this week, however, after the team confirmed Sergio Pérez had signed a new two-year contract extension, but that he’s not guaranteed a second full season at running back.
Ricciardo finished behind teammate Yuki Tsunoda, with five points to the Japanese driver’s 19. Helmut Marko said Tsunoda would “continue”, but Ricciardo is battling reserve driver Liam Lawson for the second seat.
It’s clear which direction Villeneuve wants RB to go.
“Why is he still in F1? Why?” said the 1997 world champion, commentating for Sky Sports at the Canadian Grand Prix.
“For the last four or five years, they’ve been saying the same thing: ‘We need to make the car better for him’. Poor thing!”
“Sorry, but it’s been five years. No, you’re in F1.”
“Maybe I’ll work for Lewis Hamilton, who has won so many times. I’m not going to work for a driver who can’t perform.”
“If you don’t do well, you go home. There’s someone else to take your place. It’s always been that way in racing. Racing is the pinnacle of sport.”
“There’s no reason to keep looking for excuses and continue.”
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Ricciardo won seven races in five seasons with Red Bull but moved to Renault and then McLaren where he only managed one win, at the 2021 Italian Grand Prix in McLaren’s Australian-built P1.
After being released by the Woking team in the second year of his three-year contract, he took up the role of Red Bull reserve driver and was promoted to replace Nyck de Vries midway through the 2023 season.
However, Villeneuve has been unimpressed with Ricciardo’s early F1 performances.
“You’re talking about the first season, or the first two seasons,” the 53-year-old said.
“he [Sebastian] Vettel was exhausted, trying to invent things with the car to win and messing up his weekend.
“Then he went for half a season. [Max] “Verstappen when he was 18 and just starting out. And then it was all over. He never beat anyone again.”
He added: “I think it’s his image that keeps him in F1 more than his actual results.”
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