Daniel Ricciardo

I noticed young Daniel didn't have his own thread so thought I'd give him on as sure he'll be around for a good few years.

Born in 1989 (that makes him 22 before you do the maths) this aussie started karting at the age of 9 and in 2005 entered the Western Australian Formula Ford Championship as a privateer driving a car that was 15 years old at the time and managed to finish 8th. He won a scholarship to compete in Formula BMW Asia the following year. As we all know he eventually became involved in the Red Bull young driver programme after winning the British Formula 3 championship in 2009.

Became Red Bull's test driver and has now stepped up to drive for HRT. Has been really hyped as the next big thing by the Red Bull team and the press. Eddie Jordan described him as a future world champion before he'd even done his first Grand Prix. The truth is though he has not set the world alight at HRT. How can one set the world alight at HRT I hear you ask to which I say - good point! Although he has beaten Liuzzi twice already in the races I believe he needs to get on top of him in quali too. Also he's being beaten by quite a way in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series by both Robert Wickens and Jean-Eric Vergne.

So Ricciardo - future number 1 or going going gone?

 

[siffert_fan]

After this, can he claim that the reason he loses a race was because he is suffering from "athlete's mouth"?

 

[TR]

Ricciardo vs. Vergne
2012: 10-16 pts; 8-7 in head-to-head race results
2013: 20-10 pts; 6-3 in head-to-head race results

 

[Olivier]

After this, can he claim that the reason he loses a race was because he is suffering from "athlete's mouth"?

Ewww

I've seen this as of lately, is it fashion now to drink from your shoe? Like chewing a medal?

 

[TR]

It is an aussie thing apparently, and they are dragging the rest of the world down (under) with them!

 

[siffert_fan]

Ewww

Don't worry. You see how careful he was to not get any of it in his mouth?

 

[vintly]

Daniel Ricciardo, the smiling assasin, the honey badger - he seemingly had the world at his feet, beat Vettel in the Red Bull, tipped for greatness, makes one audacious move after another..... then Max comes along. Oh. These days he's starting to resemble some of the lifeless badgers I see at the edge of the M23. The smile is gone.

Yes yes I'm being dramatic, but this season will I think be a huge one for Ricciardo. Being up against !!! MAX VERSTAPPEN !!! must be an almost impossible task. It's already clear that Max is better in the wet. It's clear that Max has the momentum too. Ricciardo badly needs a good race, and each one that he finishes behind Max will doubly compound his misery.

On the flip-side, if he can come back and trounce the young upstart, then he'll be back on top of the world, but the question is, can he? I'm not sure he can.

 

[Rutherford]

I'm not too bothered about the guy if Marko sees fit to boot him, I'd be fine with that.

 

[Olivier]

I like Ricciardo but he doesn't seem to have the killer instinct needed to become F1 champion. If RedBull considers his non-essential, the Scuderia will roll the red carpet and kick out Raikkonen while they are at it.

 

[RasputinLives]

I actually Don't think they will. I think Ferrari is pretty invested in Vettel as a lead driver and I Don't think they'd shake that up right now by bringing in Ricciardo.

 

[teabagyokel]

Williams will need a new driver next year. Or Renault. Or Mercedes.

 

[The Pits]

Or Mclaren..

Maybe not.

 

[Il_leone]

Ricciardo locked his brakes because Max did his customary jink which cost Daniel a podium. He's not had the greatest start but can still bounce back for sure. My work colleague suggested Daniel should have kept his foot on the floor whilst doing the overtake and try and blame Max for his dangerous driving

There will come a point when these two come to blows and then we will see which side of the garage Red Bull take.

I still think Ricciardo will end up at either Mercedes or Ferrari if Red Bull does not want him and/or need to promote Sainz as well

 

[vintly]

...he doesn't seem to have the killer instinct needed to become F1 champion.

This is the nub of the matter. Until recently he was a world champion in the making. Has this potential already been stubbed out? To regain anything like the esteem and potential he had a couple of seasons ago, he needs a few miracle drives. I predict a rotten season for him. I don't think Max has many off-days.

 

[RasputinLives]

I Don't think Ricciardo's form has ever dipped. I think he's just on course to be another victim of the Max Verstappen PR train.

 

[vintly]

I don't think his form has dipped either, he's just getting beat.

Victim of PR?? What does that mean? Since when has PR won any points in an F 1 race??

 

[RasputinLives]

Max Verstappen is an exceptional driver but right now all he has to do is fart in a bucket and the world's media writes dozens and dozens of articles about his exciting, vibrant and unique approach to the sport. He has the best PR team I've ever seen in motorsport.

The end result is that why the good stuff he does gets celebrated to the max (no pun intended) it means other drivers performances get overlooked. Which in turn leads to then not being noticed as much and not getting as much support from their team. I'm sure Carlos Sainz will tell you.

It's worth looking at the Verstappen/Ricciardo match up stats. They are pretty even.

 

[teabagyokel]

He's not yet actually had a dry race against Verstappen this year. OK, Verstappen is better in the wet, but you can definitely win at least four Championships of you're not maître de la pluie.

 

[Il_leone]

The Red Bulls so far have not had clean qualifying/ race weekends

Ricciardo's car failed at the start of Melbourne so he was basically doing a test run

Max's qualifying in China was hampered by an engine problem

 

[vintly]

It's worth looking at the Verstappen/Ricciardo match up stats. They are pretty even.

Fair point, but this season tells a different story. I disagree about the PR though, if your driving is exciting, vibrant and unique then that's what people will write. It works the same for everybody so it's to be ignored, at least in respect of results.

 

[RasputinLives]

Well this season is two races old and in the first race Danny Ric's car bodged up and he ended up starting a lap down. So in reality we're talking about one race.

Never underestimate PR - you only have to look at how Verstappen got the F1 drive in the first place to see it at work. It comes from having a dad in the business. I'm not taking anything away from his talent but let's not pretend he hasn't got where he is without a good marketing team behind him. Every Driver has one. His is just pretty amazing. Reminds me of the team behind Tony Blair and New Labour back in the day. Complete game changer.