Daniel Ricciardo swiftly rebutted speculation about the curtain closing on his Formula 1 career, following commentary from 1980 world champion Alan Jones. Jones, also from Australia, suggested Ricciardo, at 34, had witnessed his peak years and now faced the challenge of proving his worth for a spot in the 2025 lineup.
Confronted by a journalist from 10 News First upon his arrival at Melbourne airport, Ricciardo curtly dismissed the notion he had anything to prove, stating simply, “Not at all. Seeya.” before promptly departing the scene.
Rescued by Red Bull after his departure from McLaren, Ricciardo had also addressed his admittedly “slow start” to the 2024 season. “It’s been a steady, I’d say slow start to the year. But it’s only been two races. Hopefully the season starts now on the right foot in Melbourne,” he remarked.
Ricciardo also shared with The Age his shifted focus since his 2023 return, aiming to revive his former self. “I wanted to get that feeling back again, to bring out the old me. Racing and training are my priorities right now and all of the other stuff is secondary,” he conveyed, emphasizing his commitment to his profession over his genial public persona that is popular among fans and sponsors.
Despite the mounting pressure from local media and aspiring successor Liam Lawson, RB’s team boss, Laurent Mekies, expressed satisfaction with Ricciardo’s performance. “In the first couple of days of running with him, you can see the race-winning guy, so I guess the Daniel we have now is the best Daniel we have seen. Of course, he has had a rough patch in the last few years but, ironically, it’s probably putting him now in the best mindset, in the best spirit, with the best energy,” Mekies noted on the Beyond The Grid podcast, underlining the positive impact of Ricciardo’s recent challenges.
Moreover, Mekies highlighted the importance of Ricciardo’s experience for the team, previously known as Alpha Tauri. With Ricciardo’s teammate, the Honda-backed Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda, eyeing a promotion to the senior Red Bull team by 2025 or a potential move to Aston Martin, Mekies emphasized the expectation for Tsunoda to ascend to the next level. “What we are looking for from Yuki is that he does that next step. The top guys, they make steps,” Mekies asserted, setting the stage for both drivers to prove their mettle in the upcoming seasons.
