Ex-F1 driver claims Daniel Ricciardo’s past success will ‘keep the wolves from the door’ amidst struggles at RB

Daniel Ricciardo has been outperformed by Yuki Tsunoda in the first four races of 2024.

Ex-F1 driver claims Daniel Ricciardo’s past success will ‘keep the wolves from the door’ amidst struggles at RB

Daniel Ricciardo (Via: Imago)

RB has had a mediocre start to the 2024 season despite showing promise in pre-season testing. Yuki Tsunoda has outshined his Aussie teammate Daniel Ricciardo on almost all occasions during the 2024 campaign. Hence, the 34-year-old remains at risk of being replaced at the Faenza-based team.

Many speculated that the reason for Daniel Ricciardo‘s stay in the Red Bull sister team was for commercial gains. Ex-F1 driver Jolyon Palmer resonated with these thoughts and reckoned that Ricciardo didn’t have the time or age in his hands. However, the Aussie driver had great favor and support within Red Bull. Palmer highlighted this as the reason for the 34-year-old still racing for RB.

At nearly 35 he [Daniel Ricciardo] doesn’t have the luxury of time or age on his side either, but what he does have is good favour and support inside the Red Bull management and the F1 paddock as a whole.
Jolyon Palmer said, as reported by Formula 1.
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Apart from this, Jolyon Palmer pointed towards the ‘positive influence’ of the Australian driver and his past with Red Bull. Palmer explained that Ricciardo was able to ‘keep the wolves at the door’ perhaps because of his past success for Milton Keynes including 7 race wins. The 34-year-old is provided with some more time to provide results and not get axed from the team like Nyck De Vries previously.

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He’s won seven races for Red Bull in the past as well. That doesn’t get you results now, but what it might do is keep the wolves from the door to give him a bit more time to turn things around, in a way that the likes of Nyck de Vries didn’t get.
Jolyon Palmer noted.

Jolyon Palmer claims Yuki Tsunoda is paving his way to a ‘better drive’ for next season

Jolyon Palmer declared that Yuki Tsunoda was driving superbly as compared to Daniel Ricciardo in the 2024 season. Additionally, according to Palmer, Tsunoda was paving the way for a ‘better drive’ for the next season. The 33-year-old reckoned that the Japanese driver could drive for Red Bull or even Aston Martin in the coming season. However, Aston Martin might not have a place for Tsunoda following Fernando Alonso’s extension.

Yuki is also driving superbly as well and is surely putting himself on the map for a better drive next year, be it at Red Bull or potentially even Aston Martin, who are switching to Honda engines for 2026.
Jolyon Palmer mentioned.
Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo
Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo (Via IMAGO)

Moreover, Palmer declared that if the performances between the two drivers were reversed, Ricciardo would have a shot at Red Bull. Hence, this was a compliment for Tsunoda as much as the Japanese driver could hope for. Time will tell about how the two drivers fare against each other down the season. Regardless, Ricciardo will need to pick up the pace and start performing well soon.

If you swapped the performances of Daniel and Yuki around right now, you’d say Ricciardo would be a shoe in at Red Bull for next year, and that’s as much of a compliment as Tsunoda can hope for at this early stage.
Jolyon Palmer explained.

RB is constantly working on improving its results in the coming races. The Italian team seems to have the upper hand in the lower half of the pecking order. As the Faenza-based squad sits in sixth place in the standings, just ahead of the Haas F1 team.

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