The discussion surrounding Daniel Ricciardo’s challenging beginning to the 2024 F1 season escalated following his P16 finish in Saudi Arabia, though a significant factor contributing to his struggles, beyond his control, initially went unnoticed.
Ricciardo aims to use the 2024 season as an opportunity to impress Red Bull’s junior team in hopes of securing a return to the main squad in 2025, should Sergio Perez’s contract not be renewed.
However, the initial races of the season have raised concerns regarding Ricciardo’s ambitions. He was outperformed by teammate Yuki Tsunoda in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, finishing P16 and trailing Tsunoda at the Saudi Arabian GP. In Bahrain, Ricciardo finished one position ahead of Tsunoda due to team orders.
In contrast, Perez has started the season strongly with two P2 finishes, enhancing his chances of securing a new Red Bull contract. As speculation grew about Ricciardo’s prospects, footage emerged from the Saudi Arabian GP revealing a critical pit stop issue that significantly impacted his race.
Untelevised on-board footage showcased Ricciardo enduring a disastrous 41-second pit stop at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, attributed to difficulties fitting his new race tires. Ricciardo addressed this pit stop in a post-race interview, acknowledging the need for improvement and expressing optimism about identifying and rectifying the issues.
Despite the challenging start to the season, Ricciardo remains determined to bounce back, expressing confidence in the team’s ability to address the issues and deliver a stronger performance in Melbourne.
Although Red Bull currently occupies P9 in the Constructors’ standings for the early part of the F1 2024 season, Ricciardo remains hopeful that improvements will be made to secure better results in the upcoming races.
