Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo has been criticized by 1997 Formula 1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve, who believes that Ricciardo’s reputation helped him keep his place on the team. Despite entering the 2024 season with aspirations of a promotion within the Red Bull team, Ricciardo has struggled so far, consistently trailing behind his less experienced teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, and scoring 14 points less in the first eight races. However, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner continues to support Ricciardo and it is likely that he will remain with the team alongside Tsunoda next year. However, Villeneuve has been highly critical of Ricciardo’s performances this season and questioned the excuses made to defend his struggles. Villeneuve argues that Ricciardo’s popularity with sponsors played a role in keeping him in Formula 1, rather than his on-track results. Although he has not had the opportunity to respond to Villeneuve’s comments, Ricciardo has expressed optimism about his speed and performance. Furthermore, Red Bull’s recent decision to extend Sergio Perez’s contract apparently ended any possibility of Ricciardo returning to the team he left in 2018. However, Ricciardo acknowledges that he has not done enough to earn a promotion and remains hopeful about his future in the sport.
