Daniel Ricciardo has come under serious fire from former world champion Jacques Villeneuve, who has questioned how he’s still in Formula 1.
Daniel Ricciardo’s F1 Career Torn Apart by Jacques Villeneuve
Highlights
Jacques Villeneuve has questioned Daniel Ricciardo’s F1 future, saying he hasn’t improved in five years & should step aside.
Ricciardo’s best finish in 2024 is 12th and Villeneuve has slammed him for not performing up to standard.
Ricciardo has acknowledged fan criticism of his performance, but believes he has the potential for a comeback.
A former Formula One world champion has taken a direct swipe at Daniel Ricciardo, criticising his recent performances and asking how he’s still in F1. Jacques Villeneuve, who won the title in 1997 driving for the Williams team, is working with Sky Sports this weekend for the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, and he did not hold back whatsoever with his opinion on the Australian.
Ricciardo, who is an eight-time F1 race winner, has had an up-and-down start to the year which, at times, has seen his position with the RB team come into question. He has underperformed this season, being consistently upstaged by teammate Yuki Tsunoda. He has only one podium finish in his last 63 starts, tasting victory at Monza in 2021. Before that, he had only two third-place finishes in his previous 49 starts.
Daniel Ricciardo Blasted by Former Champ
Jacques Villeneuve is not impressed
Canadian Villeneuve delivered a brutal assessment of the popular Ricciardo when live on Sky Sports, stating: “Why is he still in F1? We have been hearing the same thing for the last four or five years now. ‘We have to make the car better for him’. Sorry, it’s been five years of that.
“No, you’re in F1. Maybe make that effort for Lewis Hamilton, who has won multiple championships. You don’t make that kind of effort for a driver who can’t cut it. Maybe, if you can’t cut it, go home! There is someone else who can take your place. That’s how it has always been in racing.”
Villeneuve was possibly making reference here to Liam Lawson, who has been linked with taking Ricciardo’s spot at RB.
Daniel Ricciardo
“It’s the pinnacle of the sport. There is no reason to keep going, and to keep finding excuses. You all talk about that first season, the first two seasons. He was beating Sebastian Vettel, who was burnt out, trying to invent things with the car to go win and just making a mess of his weekends. And then he was beating, for half a season, Max Verstappen, who was 18 years old, just starting. Then that was it. He stopped beating anyone after that.
“I think his image has kept him in F1 more than his actual results.”
Villeneuve tailed off himself after his 1997 title success, only going on to secure four more podiums before retiring in 2006, so you’d think he would have some sympathy for a fellow racing driver, but seemingly not.
GIVEMESPORT’s Key Statistic: Daniel Ricciardo’s best finish in the 2024 F1 season so far is 12th.
Daniel Ricciardo Discusses 2024 Struggles
Daniel Ricciardo
Last month, Ricciardo spoke to ESPN about his struggles so far this year, saying: “I’m sure a lot of people, my fans, F1 fans, whoever, have been saying ‘f****** hell Daniel, pull your finger out, what the f*** are you doing?’ That’s just part of this whole thing. I’m sure for a lot of them it comes out of a place of them caring and wanting me to do good. And then, for some, they just have a negative opinion they won’t change.