The end of the road for Daniel Ricciardo’s F1 career

Daniel Ricciardo seems to be out of any future prospects in F1 after Red Bull renewed Sergio Perez's contract.

The end of the road for Daniel Ricciardo’s F1 career

Daniel Ricciardo (via IMAGO)

A decade ago, Daniel Ricciardo was considered a future F1 world champion. As the Australian driver defeated four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel at Red Bull. However, things have changed drastically over the years with the Honey Badger simply trying to survive on the grid.

Ricciardo spent few dismal seasons with Renault and McLaren after leaving Red Bull at the end of 2018. The 34-year-old agreed to part ways with McLaren in 2022 and sat on the sidelines. Luckily, Daniel Ricciardo got a chance to prove his worth once again after being called up by AlphaTauri (now RB) to replace Nyck de Vries.

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Unfortunately, it seems that the Australian driver failed to deliver on expectations. Daniel Ricciardo has not even matched teammate Yuki Tsunoda so far this season. Ultimately, the future prospects are grim for Ricciardo in the pinnacle of motorsport. As the 34-year-old loses out on a Red Bull promotion for next season.

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Daniel Ricciardo simply not the same driver he was in 2018

The Australian driver was at the peak of his career at Red Bull after being promoted in 2014. Unfortunately, Daniel Ricciardo’s talent faded away after leaving Milton Keynes. The 34-year-old seems to be more of a shadow of his former self as he struggles to live up to high expectations.

Christian Horner and Daniel Ricciardo (via IMAGO)
Christian Horner and Daniel Ricciardo (via IMAGO)

Ricciardo aimed to get back a seat at Red Bull in 2025 by showing his talent at RB. However, the Australian’s stint at the Faenza-based team might’ve done more damage to his career. With the Honey Badger getting only a handful of points. Moreover, criticism has certainly impacted Daniel Ricciardo. The 34-year-old told Jacques Villeneuve to ‘eat s**t’ after the Canadian’s recent comments.

Red Bull’s decision to renew Sergio Perez’s contract ends Ricciardo’s hopes for the time being. Although, one would reckon that Yuki Tsunoda was in a better spot to get Checo’s seat if the Mexican driver was shown the door. This leaves Daniel Ricciardo with no real future prospects in F1 as the 34-year-old is not on any team’s radar.

Certainly, Daniel Ricciardo had the chance to redeem himself in Formula 1. However, the 34-year-old has sadly blown this opportunity. F1 is cruel and even if a driver is an 8-time winner, he must consistently perform if he wants a top seat. As such, it seems that Ricciardo is now stuck at a dead end when it comes to his career at the pinnacle of motorsport.

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